Propagation of Imprecise Probabilities through Black Box Models

Show full item record

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1853/10553

Title: Propagation of Imprecise Probabilities through Black Box Models
Author: Bruns, Morgan Chase
Abstract: From the decision-based design perspective, decision making is the critical element of the design process. All practical decision making occurs under some degree of uncertainty. Subjective expected utility theory is a well-established method for decision making under uncertainty; however, it assumes that the DM can express his or her beliefs as precise probability distributions. For many reasons, both practical and theoretical, it can be beneficial to relax this assumption of precision. One possible means for avoiding this assumption is the use of imprecise probabilities. Imprecise probabilities are more expressive of uncertainty than precise probabilities, but they are also more computationally cumbersome. Probability Bounds Analysis (PBA) is a compromise between the expressivity of imprecise probabilities and the computational ease of modeling beliefs with precise probabilities. In order for PBA to be implemented in engineering design, it is necessary to develop appropriate computational methods for propagating probability boxes (p-boxes) through black box engineering models. This thesis examines the range of applicability of current methods for p-box propagation and proposes three alternative methods. These methods are applied towards the solution of three successively complex numerical examples.
Type: Thesis
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1853/10553
Date: 2006-04-12
Publisher: Georgia Institute of Technology
Subject: Optimization
Monte Carlo method
P-boxes
Decision-based design
Uncertainty propagation
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Advisor: Committee Chair: Paredis, Chris; Committee Member: Bras, Bert; Committee Member: McGinnis, Leon
Degree: M.S.

Items in SMARTech are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

Files in this item

Files Size Format View
bruns_morgan_200605_mast.pdf 404.0Kb PDF View/ Open

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show full item record