Development of a shredding genetic algorithm for structural reliability

Similarly to classical reliability analysis techniques, SGA identifies dominant structural failure modes and also gives detailed information about which random variables are primary contributors to the formation of these failure modes. Furthermore, SGA provides information about linkages that may exist between the random variables that control the safety of structural systems. These linkages allow the identification of sub-mechanisms or partial failures. Such useful information would eventually lead to better control of the safety of structural systems and improve the reliability of designs. Examples are provided to demonstrate the application of the proposed SGA method and its efficiency.