Efficient structural reliability methods considering incomplete knowledge of random variable distributions

The determination of an exact distribution function of a random phenomena is not possible using a limited number of observations. Therefore, in the present paper the stochastic properties of a random variable are assumed as uncertain quantities and instead of predefined distribution types the maximum entropy distribution is used. Efficient methods for a reliability analysis considering these uncertain stochastic parameters are presented. Based on approximation strategies this extended analysis requires no additional limit state function evaluations. Later, variance based sensitivity measures are used to evaluate the contribution of the uncertainty of each stochastic parameter to the total variation of the failure probability.