An improved interval analysis method for uncertain structures

Based on the improved first order Taylor interval expansion, a new interval analysis method for the static or dynamic response of the structures with interval parameters is presented. In the improved first order Taylor interval expansion, the first order derivative terms of the function are also considered to be intervals. Combining the improved first order Taylor series expansion and the interval extension of function, the new interval analysis method is derived. The present method is implemented for a continuous beam and a frame structure. The numerical results show that the method is more accurate than the one based on the conventional first order Taylor expansion.