Fuzzy Reliability Calculation Method of Highway Alignment

Abstract

Considering the randomness and fuzziness of highway route design parameters, based on the reliability theory and triangular fuzzy numbers, the fuzzy variables are transformed into random variables. Three new fuzzy reliability calculation methods of highway alignment are derived, namely, the equivalent density function method, the information entropy method, and the general density function method. The proposed calculation methods are applied to the reliability analysis of highway horizontal curve design. The results show that if the fuzzy variables are symmetric fuzzy numbers, the equivalent mean values obtained by the three methods are equal. If the fuzzy variables are asymmetric fuzzy numbers, the equivalent mean values and equivalent standard deviations of the three methods are different. Compared with the traditional reliability calculation method, the values obtained by the proposed method have a large reliability index, small failure probability, and high calculation accuracy. Compared with the other two methods, the general density function method has the fastest convergence and higher accuracy. The general density function method is then applied to the calculation of highway circular curve radius, under the condition of a superelevation failure rate of 5%, to generate the recommended values of the safety and reliability index.