• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.418-423
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• 2008

Among various sensitivity evaluation techniques, semi-analytical method is quite popular since this method is more advantageous than analytical method and global finite difference method. However, SAM reveals severe inaccuracy problem when relatively large rigid body motions are identified for individual elements. Such errors result from the numerical differentiation of the pseudo load vector calculated by the finite difference scheme. In the present study, the adjoint variable method combined with complex variable is proposed to obtain the shape and size sensitivity for structural optimization. The complex variable can present accurate results regardless of the perturbation size as well as easy to be implemented. Through a few numerical examples of the static problem for the structural sensitivity, the efficiency and reliability of the adjoint variable method combined with complex variable is demonstrated.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 1995.04a
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• pp.73-81
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• 1995

In Korea, the pilot construction of the first high-speed railroad on the Seoul-Pusan has already started 2 years ago. In the thesis, an attempt is made to develop reliability-based integrity-assessment models for the computer-aided control and maintenance of high-speed railroad bridges. The strength limit state models for PC railroad bridges encompass the bending and shear strengths as well as the strength interaction equations which simultaneously take into the element and system reliablities of the proposed limit states and reliability models. Then, the actual load carrying capacity and the realistic safety of bridges are evaluated using the system reliability-based equivalent strength, and the results are compared with those of the element reliability-based or conventional methods. Various parametric studies are performed for the proposed reliability-based safety and integrity-assessment models using the actual PC box girder bridges used in the pilot construction. And the sensitivity analyses are performed for the basic random variables included in strength limit state models. It is concluded that proposed models may be practically applied for the rational assessment of safety and integrity of high speed railroad bridges.

• International Journal of Automotive Technology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.713-722
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• 2007

Design variables for suspension systems cannot always be realized in the actual suspension systems due to tolerances in manufacturing and assembly processes. In order to deal with these tolerances, design variables associated with kinematic configuration and compliance characteristics of suspensions are treated as random variables. The reliability of a design target with respect to a design variable is defined as the probability that the design target is in the acceptable design range for all possible values of the design variable. To compute reliability, the limit state, which is the boundary between the acceptable and unacceptable design, is expressed mathematically by a limit state function with value greater than 0 for acceptable design, and less than 0 for unacceptable design. Through reliability analysis, the acceptable range of design variables that satisfy a reliability target is specified. Furthermore, through sensitivity analysis, a general procedure for optimization of the design target with respect to the design variables has been established.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.2 no.5
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• pp.331-354
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• 2002

Tethers of Tension Leg Platform (TLP) are a series structural system where fatigue is the principal mode of failure. The present study is devoted to the fatigue and fatigue fracture reliability study of these tethers. For this purpose, two limit state functions have been derived. These limit state functions are based on S-N curve and fracture mechanics approaches. A detailed methodology for the reliability analysis has then been presented. A sensitivity analysis has been carried out to study the influence of various random variables on tether reliability. The design point, important for probabilistic design, is located on the failure surface. Effect of wind, water depth, service life and number of welded joints are investigated. The effect of uncertainties in various random variables on tether fatigue reliability is highlighted.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.57 no.7
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• pp.1129-1134
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• 2008

This paper proposes a reliability evaluation for interconnection planning using a tie line equivalent assisting generator model (TEAG) that considers the uncertainties of the interconnected transmission systems and the tie lines. Development of this model was triggered by the need to perform probabilistic reliability evaluations on the NEAREST (North East Asia Region Electric Systems Tied) interconnection. The TEAG is the basis for the newly developed interconnection systems reliability evaluation computer program, NEAREL. The model is capable of considering uncertainties associated with generators, tie lines, and the tied grids. Reliability evaluations for six interconnection scenarios involving the power systems of six countries in the Asian north eastern region were performed using NEAREL. Sensitivity analysis was used to determine reasonable tie line capacities for three interconnected country scenarios of the six countries. Test results and summarized comments of the scenarios are included in the paper.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.543-553
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• 2016

The growing complexity of modern technological systems requires more flexible and powerful reliability analysis tools. Existing tools encounter a number of limitations including lack of modeling power to address components interactions for complex systems and lack of flexibility in handling component failure distribution. We propose a reliability modeling framework based on the Bayesian network (BN). It can combine historical data with expert judgment to treat data scarcity. The proposed methodology is applied to wind turbines reliability analysis. The observed result shows that a BN based reliability modeling is a powerful potential solution to modeling and analyzing various kinds of system components behaviors and interactions. Moreover, BN provides performing several inference approaches such as smoothing, filtering, what-if analysis, and sensitivity analysis for considering system.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.79-93
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• 2009

In the present paper, a methodology has been presented for the reliability assessment of concrete barriers that lie at a certain depth in the soil, and a missile (a rigid projectile) impacts the top of the soil cover normally, and subsequently after penetrating the soil cover completely it hits the barrier with certain striking velocity. For this purpose, using expressions available in the literature, striking velocity of missile at any depth of soil has been derived and then expressions for the depths of penetration in crater and tunnel region of concrete barrier have been deduced. These depths of penetration have been employed for the derivation of limit state functions. Using the derived limit state functions reliability assessment of underground concrete barrier has then been carried out through First Order Reliability Method (FORM). To study the influence of various random variables on barrier reliability, sensitivity analysis has also been carried out. In addition, a number of parametric studies is conducted to obtain the results of practical interest.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.575-589
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• 2012

This paper presents a reliability analysis of steel I-beams with rectangular web openings, based on a combination of the common probabilistic reliability methods, such as RSM, FORM and SORM and using data obtained from experimental tests performed at the Istanbul Technical University. A procedure is proposed to obtain the optimum design load that can be applied to this type of structural members, by taking into account specified target values of reliability indices for ultimate and serviceability limit states. The goal of the paper is to present an algorithm to obtain more realistic and economical design of beams and to demonstrate that it can be applied efficiently to steel I-beams with web openings. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is performed allowing to ranking the random variables according to their importance in the reliability analysis.

• International Journal of Reliability and Applications
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.35-53
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• 2015

This investigation deals with reliability and sensitivity analysis of a repairable embedded system with standby wherein repairman takes multiple vacations. The hardware system consists of 'M' operating and 'S' standby components. The repairman can leave for multiple vacations of random length during its idle time. Whenever any operating unit fails, it is immediately replaced by a standby unit if available. Moreover, governing equations of an embedded system are constructed using appropriate birth-death rates. The vacation and repair time of repairman are exponentially distributed. The matrix method is used to find the steady-state probabilities of the number of failed components in the embedded system as well as other performance measures. Reliability indexes are presented. Further, numerical experiments are carried out for various system characteristics to examine the effects of different parameter. Using a special class of neuro-fuzzy systems i.e. Adaptive Network-based Fuzzy Interference Systems (ANFIS), we also approximate various performance measures. Finally, the conclusions and future research directions are provided.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2010

Objectives: Parkinson's disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases in the elderly population. In order to estimate the prevalence of Parkinson's disease in the community, the application of a good screening tool is essential. We evaluated the validity and reliability of a Parkinson's disease screening questionnaire and propose an alternative measure to improve its validity for use in community surveys. Methods: We designed the study in a three-phase approach consisting of a screening questionnaire, neurologic examination, and confirmatory examination. A repeated survey was administered to patients with disease detected in the community and on 150 subjects. We examined internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha test, test-retest reliability using the kappa statistic, and validity using sensitivity, specificity, and ROC curves. Unadjusted odds ratios were utilized for the estimation of weights for each questionnaire item. Results: The Cronbach's alpha of the questionnaire was 0.708. The kappa statistic for test-retest reliability was good to generally fair in most of the items. When newly proposed weighting scores were used, the optimum cut-off value was 7/8. When cut-off value was 5/6 for surveying prevalence in a community, the sensitivity was 0.98, and the specificity was 0.61, with simultaneous improvement in reliability. Conclusions: We recommend 5/6 as the ideal cut-off value for the survey of PD prevalence in community. This questionnaire designed for the Korean community could help future epidemiologic studies of PD.