Moment method based on fuzzy reliability sensitivity analysis for a degradable structural system

For a degradable structural system with fuzzy failure region, a moment method based on fuzzy reliability sensitivity algorithm is presented. According to the value assignment of performance function, the integral region for calculating the fuzzy failure probability is first split into a series of subregions in which the membership function values of the performance function within the fuzzy failure region can be approximated by a set of constants. The fuzzy failure probability is then transformed into a sum of products of the random failure probabilities and the approximate constants of the membership function in the subregions. Furthermore, the fuzzy reliability sensitivity analysis is transformed into a series of random reliability sensitivity analysis, and the random reliability sensitivity can be obtained by the constructed moment method. The primary advantages of the presented method include higher efficiency for implicit performance function with low and medium dimensionality and wide applicability to multiple failure modes and nonnormal basic random variables. The limitation is that the required computation effort grows exponentially with the increase of dimensionality of the basic random variable; hence, it is not suitable for high dimensionality problem. Compared with the available methods, the presented one is pretty competitive in the case that the dimensionality is lower than 10. The presented examples are used to verify the advantages and indicate the limitations.