A direct-integration-based structural reliability analysis method using non-probabilistic convex model

In practical structural reliability analysis, there is not only random uncertainty but also fuzzy uncertainty. Aiming at the fuzzy reliability of structure, a novel fuzzy reliability method is proposed based on direct integration method and ellipsoidal convex model. Firstly, the decomposition of fuzzy mathematics principle is used to convert fuzzy reliability model into non-probabilistic reliability model, in which fuzzy variables are converted into interval variables. The upper and lower bounds of interval variables are determined by the possibility distribution function on the membership value. Secondly, multidimensional ellipsoid convex models are constructed to quantify the uncertainty because of the complexity of non-probabilistic reliability. Finally, sigmoid function with adjustable parameter is introduced to direct integration method for approximating the step function, and then direct integration method is used to solve the fuzzy reliability. Numerical examples are investigated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the present method, which provides a feasible way for the structural fuzzy reliability analysis.