Machine learning aided static structural reliability analysis for functionally graded frame structures

Abstract

A novel machine learning aided structural reliability analysis for functionally graded frame structures against static loading is proposed. The uncertain system parameters, which include the material properties, dimensions of structural members, applied loads, as well as the degree of gradation of the functionally graded material (FGM), can be incorporated within a unified structural reliability analysis framework. A 3D finite element method (FEM) for static analysis of bar-type engineering structures involving FGM is presented. By extending the traditional support vector regression (SVR) method, a new kernel-based machine learning technique, namely the extended support vector regression (X-SVR), is proposed for modelling the underpinned relationship between the structural behaviours and the uncertain system inputs. The proposed structural reliability analysis inherits the advantages of the traditional sampling method (i.e., Monte-Carlo Simulation) on providing the information regarding the statistical characteristics (i.e., mean, standard deviations, probability density functions and cumulative distribution functions etc.) of any concerned structural outputs, but with significantly reduced computational efforts. Five numerical examples are investigated to illustrate the accuracy, applicability, and computational efficiency of the proposed computational scheme.