An improved response surface method for reliability analysis of structures

This paper presents an algorithm for structural reliability with the response surface method. For this aim, an approach with three stages is proposed named as improved response surface method. In the algorithm, firstly, a quadratic approximate function is formed and design point is determined with First Order Reliability Method. Secondly, a point close to the exact limit state function is searched using the design point. Lastly, vector projected method is used to generate the sample points and Second Order Reliability Method is performed to obtain reliability index and probability of failure. Five numerical examples are selected to illustrate the proposed algorithm. The limit state functions of three examples (cantilever beam, highly nonlinear limit state function and dynamic response of an oscillator) are defined explicitly and the others (frame and truss structures) are defined implicitly. ANSYS finite element program is utilized to obtain the response of the structures which are needed in the reliability analysis of implicit limit state functions. The results (reliability index, probability of failure and limit state function evaluations) obtained from the improved response surface are compared with those of Monte Carlo Simulation, First Order Reliability Method, Second Order Reliability Method and Classical Response Surface Method. According to the results, proposed algorithm gives better results for both reliability index and limit state function evaluations.