Probabilistic analysis of strip footings resting on spatially varying soils using kriging metamodeling and importance sampling

This paper aims at computing the probability of failure of strip footings resting on a spatially varying soil and subjected to a vertical load. The active learning reliability method (called AK-IS) which is a combination of kriging metamodeling and importance sampling (IS) is used. The AK-IS technique significantly reduces the computation time with respect to the classical active learning reliability technique (called AK-MCS) combining kriging with Monte Carlo Simulations (MCS) by sampling around the design point. It was shown that the critical realization corresponding to the design point exhibits a perfect symmetry about the central vertical axis of the foundation.