.. _method-global_reliability:

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global_reliability
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Global reliability methods



**Topics**


uncertainty_quantification, reliability_methods


.. toctree::
   :hidden:
   :maxdepth: 1

   method-global_reliability-initial_samples
   method-global_reliability-x_gaussian_process
   method-global_reliability-u_gaussian_process
   method-global_reliability-surfpack
   method-global_reliability-dakota
   method-global_reliability-experimental
   method-global_reliability-import_build_points_file
   method-global_reliability-export_approx_points_file
   method-global_reliability-use_derivatives
   method-global_reliability-seed
   method-global_reliability-rng
   method-global_reliability-response_levels
   method-global_reliability-probability_levels
   method-global_reliability-gen_reliability_levels
   method-global_reliability-distribution
   method-global_reliability-max_iterations
   method-global_reliability-convergence_tolerance
   method-global_reliability-model_pointer


**Specification**

- *Alias:* nond_global_reliability 

- *Arguments:* None


**Child Keywords:**

+-------------------------+--------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Required/Optional       | Description of     | Dakota Keyword                | Dakota Keyword Description                    |
|                         | Group              |                               |                                               |
+=========================+====================+===============================+===============================================+
| Optional                                     | `initial_samples`__           | Initial number of samples for sampling-based  |
|                                              |                               | methods                                       |
+-------------------------+--------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Required (Choose One)   | Approximation      | `x_gaussian_process`__        | Create GP surrogate in x-space                |
|                         |                    +-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|                         |                    | `u_gaussian_process`__        | Create GP surrogate in u-space                |
+-------------------------+--------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Optional (Choose One)   | GP Implementation  | `surfpack`__                  | Use the Surfpack version of Gaussian Process  |
|                         |                    |                               | surrogates                                    |
|                         |                    +-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|                         |                    | `dakota`__                    | Select the built in Gaussian Process          |
|                         |                    |                               | surrogate                                     |
|                         |                    +-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|                         |                    | `experimental`__              | Use the experimental Gaussian Process         |
|                         |                    |                               | surrogate                                     |
+-------------------------+--------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Optional                                     | `import_build_points_file`__  | File containing points you wish to use to     |
|                                              |                               | build a surrogate                             |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Optional                                     | `export_approx_points_file`__ | Output file for surrogate model value         |
|                                              |                               | evaluations                                   |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Optional                                     | `use_derivatives`__           | Use derivative data to construct surrogate    |
|                                              |                               | models                                        |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Optional                                     | `seed`__                      | Seed of the random number generator           |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Optional                                     | `rng`__                       | Selection of a random number generator        |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Optional                                     | `response_levels`__           | Values at which to estimate desired           |
|                                              |                               | statistics for each response                  |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Optional                                     | `probability_levels`__        | Specify probability levels at which to        |
|                                              |                               | estimate the corresponding response value     |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Optional                                     | `gen_reliability_levels`__    | Specify generalized relability levels at      |
|                                              |                               | which to estimate the corresponding response  |
|                                              |                               | value                                         |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Optional                                     | `distribution`__              | Selection of cumulative or complementary      |
|                                              |                               | cumulative functions                          |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Optional                                     | `max_iterations`__            | Number of iterations allowed for optimizers   |
|                                              |                               | and adaptive UQ methods                       |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Optional                                     | `convergence_tolerance`__     | Stopping criterion based on objective         |
|                                              |                               | function or statistics convergence            |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| Optional                                     | `model_pointer`__             | Identifier for model block to be used by a    |
|                                              |                               | method                                        |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+

.. __: method-global_reliability-initial_samples.html
__ method-global_reliability-x_gaussian_process.html
__ method-global_reliability-u_gaussian_process.html
__ method-global_reliability-surfpack.html
__ method-global_reliability-dakota.html
__ method-global_reliability-experimental.html
__ method-global_reliability-import_build_points_file.html
__ method-global_reliability-export_approx_points_file.html
__ method-global_reliability-use_derivatives.html
__ method-global_reliability-seed.html
__ method-global_reliability-rng.html
__ method-global_reliability-response_levels.html
__ method-global_reliability-probability_levels.html
__ method-global_reliability-gen_reliability_levels.html
__ method-global_reliability-distribution.html
__ method-global_reliability-max_iterations.html
__ method-global_reliability-convergence_tolerance.html
__ method-global_reliability-model_pointer.html



**Description**


These methods do not support
forward/inverse mappings involving ``reliability_levels``, since they
never form a reliability index based on distance in u-space. Rather
they use a Gaussian process model to form an approximation to the
limit state (based either in x-space via the ``x_gaussian_process``
specification or in u-space via the ``u_gaussian_process``
specification), followed by probability estimation based on multimodal
adaptive importance sampling (see
:cite:p:`Bichon2007`) and
:cite:p:`Bichon2008`). These
probability estimates may then be transformed into generalized
reliability levels if desired. At this time, inverse reliability
analysis (mapping probability or generalized reliability levels into
response levels) is not implemented.

The Gaussian process model approximation to the limit state is formed
over the aleatory uncertain variables by default, but may be extended
to also capture the effect of design, epistemic uncertain, and state
variables. If this is desired, one must use the appropriate controls
to specify the active variables in the variables specification
block.  Refer to :ref:`topic-variable_support` for additional information
on supported variable types.