Computer Program for Multimodel Reliability and Optimization Analysis

Abstract

A computer program is developed to carry out reliability and optimization analysis with many interconnected probabilistic models. The program is freely available online and it contains a library of versatile models. The user can also implement new models—without any recompilation of the program—by several means, including a powerful scripting option. Other novel features include a comprehensive parameterization that facilitates flexible and effective model communication and the computation of direct-differentiation response sensitivities in multimodel analysis. The new program has already been successfully employed for regional risk analysis with thousands of model objects and hundreds of random variables. This paper presents the software architecture and a multimodel example of a structure that is modeled in an external finite-element program and subjected to multiple hazards, damage, and long-term deterioration.