The structural design parameters of asphalt pavement inherently possess randomness. Reliability theory aids in considering the stochastic nature of these parameters in asphalt pavement design. However, as the number of considered random factors increases, the complexity of reliability calculation models and the consumption of computational resources also significantly escalate. To analyze the structural reliability of semi-rigid base asphalt pavements more efficiently and accurately, a method combining Weighted Kernel Density Estimation (Weighted-KDE) with Direct Probability Integration Method (DPIM) using sampling strategies was employed. Furthermore, integrating the equivalent extreme value principle, an asphalt pavement structural system reliability analysis method was proposed, considering multiple failure mode correlations. The numerical solution steps of this method are also outlined. Based on the typical semi-rigid asphalt pavement structure in China, this study utilized the elastic layer system method (the program Apbi) and a computational program developed in MATLAB to compare the efficiency and accuracy of calculating reliability between DPIM and the Monte Carlo Simulations (MCS). The computational outcomes indicate that, under the premise of selecting 18 random parameters, DPIM can achieve the required accuracy in assessing the reliability of asphalt pavement structure and system reliability. Analyzing how the number of samples affects the computational results reveals that using weighted-KDE and DPIM only needs a few hundred sample points to limit the relative error within 4 %, compared to the results obtained from 105 samples in MCS. The research findings demonstrate that DPIM incorporating the principle of equivalent extreme value events can serve as an efficient analytical approach for assessing the system reliability of asphalt pavement structures characterized by more complex failure modes.
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