No abstract

Polynomial Chaos Expansion (PCE) is widely recognized as a flexible tool to represent different types of random variables/processes. However, applications to real, experimental data are still limited. In this article, PCE is used to represent the random time-evolution of metal corrosion growth in marine environments. The PCE coefficients are determined in order to represent data of 45 corrosion coupons tested by Jeffrey and Melchers (2001) at Taylors Beach, Australia. Accuracy of the representation and possibilities for model extrapolation are considered in the study. Results show that reasonably accurate smooth representations of the corrosion process can be obtained. The representation is not better because a smooth model is used to represent non-smooth corrosion data. Random corrosion leads to time-variant reliability problems, due to resistance degradation over time. Time variant reliability problems are not trivial to solve, especially under random process loading. Two example problems are solved herein, showing how the developed PCE representations can be employed in reliability analysis of structures subject to marine corrosion. Monte Carlo Simulation is used to solve the resulting timevariant reliability problems. However, an accurate and more computationally efficient solution is also presented.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the approximation performance of a family of piecewise rational polynomial shape functions, which are enriched by a set of monomials of order p to obtain high order approximations. To numerically demonstrate the features of the enriched approximation some examples on the mechanical elastic response and free‐vibration of axisymmetric plates and shells are carried out.Design/methodology/approachThe global approximation is based on a particular family of weight function, which is defined on the parametric domain of the element, ξ∈[−1,1], resulting in shape functions with compact support, which have regularity C0k,k=0,2,4… in the global domain Σ. The PU shape functions are enriched by a set of monomials of order p to obtain high order approximation spaces.FindingsBased on the numerical results of elastic axisymmetric plates and shells, it is demonstrated that the proposed methodology produces satisfactory results in terms of keeping the ill‐conditioning of the system of equations under accepted levels. Comparisons are established between linear and Hermitian shape functions showing similar results. The observed results for the free‐vibration problem of plates and shells show the potential of the proposed approximation space.Research limitations/implicationsIn this paper the formulation is limited to the modeling of axisymmetric plate and shell problems. However, it can be applied to model other problems where the high regularity of the approximation is required.Originality/valueThe paper presents an alternative approach to construct partition of unity shape functions based on a particular family of weight function.