Structural robust optimization design based on convex model

There exist a great amount of uncertain factors in actual engineering. In order to involve these uncertain factors in analytical model, they have been expressed as the convex variables. In addition, the convex model was further classified into the hyper-ellipsoidal model and the interval model. After pointing out the intrinsic difference between these two kinds of models, the principle for applying which one of the models within the analysis has been indicated according to the available testing points. After standardizing the convex variables, the difference and relation between these two models for the optimization and solution process have been presented. With the analysis mentality available from the hyper-ellipsoidal model, the basic method about the robust optimization for the interval model was emphasized. After classification of the interval variables within the optimization process, the characteristics of the robust optimization were highlighted with different constraint conditions. Using the target-performance-based analytical scheme, the algorithm, the solution step and the convergence criteria for the robust optimization have been also presented with only one reliability index. Numerical examples and engineering problems were used to demonstrate the effectiveness and correctness of the proposed approach. Keywords: Robust optimization, Non-probabilistic reliability, Interval model, Hyper-ellipsoidal model, Probabilistic index