An inverse analysis method for design optimization with both statistical and fuzzy uncertainties

If the statistical data for the input uncertainties are sufficient to construct the distribution function, the input uncertainties can be treated as random variables to use the reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) method; otherwise, the input uncertainties can be treated as fuzzy variables to use the possibility-based design optimization (PBDO) method. However, many structural design problems include both input uncertainties with sufficient and insufficient data. This paper proposes a new mixed-variable design optimization (MVDO) method using the performance measure approach (PMA) for such design problems. For the inverse analysis, this paper proposes a new most probable/possible point (MPPP) search method called maximal failure search (MFS), which is an integration of the enhanced hybrid mean value method (HMV+) and maximal possibility search (MPS) method. This paper also improves the HMV+ method using an angle-based interpolation. Mathematical and physical examples are used to demonstrate the proposed inverse analysis method and MVDO method.