Abstract: The non-probabilistic reliability sensitivity analysis of structures plays an important role in guiding the analysis, forecasting and optimization for the non-probabilistic problems in engineering. Based on the non-probabilistic reliability of uncertain structures theory, the non-probabilistic reliability sensitivity is discussed in this study. For linear limit-state functions, an analytical solution of non-probabilistic reliability sensitivity is derived for uncertain structures. Based on this analytical solution, linearization for non-linear limit state function is used to establish an approximately analytical method to calculate the non-probabilistic reliability sensitivity in general cases. Additionally, on the basis of the optimization methods for calculation of the non-probabilistic reliability and the difference theories, an optimization method is presented to calculate the non-probabilistic reliability sensitivity. The results from several cases show that the proposed method is feasible.

Key words: non-probabilistic reliability, convex set model, interval variable, sensitivity analysis, difference theories