Two non-probabilistic set-theoretical models for dynamic response and buckling failure measures of bars with unknown-but-bounded initial imperfections

This paper is concerned with the problem of comparison of two non-probabilistic set-theoretical models for dynamic response and buckling failure measures of bars with unknown-but-bounded initial imperfections. Two kinds of non-probabilistic set-theoretical models are convex models and interval analysis models. In convex models and interval analysis models, the uncertain quantities are considered to be unknown except that they belong to given sets in an appropriate vector space. In this case, all information about the dynamic response and buckling failure measures of bars is provided by the set of dynamic responses and buckling failure measures consistent with the constraints on the uncertain quantities. The dynamic response estimate is actually a set in appropriate response space rather than a single vector. The set estimate is the smallest calculable set which contains the uncertain dynamic response, but it is usually impractical to calculate this set. Two set estimate methods are developed which can calculate the time varying box or hyperrectangle, i.e. interval vector in the response space that contains the true dynamic response. Comparison between convex models and interval analysis models in mathematical proofs and numerical calculations shows that, under the condition of the outer enclosed ellipsoid from a hyperrectangle or an interval vector, the set dynamic response predicted by interval analysis models is smaller than that yielded by convex models; under the condition of the outer enclosed hyperrectangle or an interval vector from an ellipsoid, the dynamic response set calculated by convex models is smaller than that obtained by interval analysis models.