CURRENT RESEARCH AND PROSPECTS ON INTERVAL ANALYSIS IN ENGINEERING STRUCTURE UNCERTAINTY ANALYSIS

Stochastic analysis method and fuzzy analysis method arewidely used in uncertainty analysis of engineering structures. Recently,interval analysis method is gradually known and becomes a newuncertaintyanalysis method. Interval analysis method is mainly used for engineeringstructures with interval properties. Interval analysis method shows itsmerits when the statistical information does not available for the parameters'probability distributions or related functions except the intervals of theparameters. In this paper, interval analysis method and itsapplications in engineering structure uncertainty analysis are overviewed. Theapplications are summarized into four parts, that is, interval finiteelement analysis in uncertainty of engineering structures; the probability basedon interval analysis; interval inverse analysis method of engineeringstructures; structural optimum design based on interval parameters. Theresearch results and recent advances in these parts are analyzed,and the existing problems and future trends in these fields arediscussed.