Uncertainties are inherent in any structural system.

Traditional design
optimization techniques consider uncertainties implicitly by partial safe factors.
However, Reliability-Based Design Optimization (RBDO) methods account for
uncertainties explicitly. These methods find an optimum design that verifies
several reliability constraints. The objective here is to obtain an economic and
safe design. Functions programmed to implements the RBDO methods form a package
added to the well known Structural Reliability Toolbox Finite Element Reliability
Using Matlab (FERUM).

Design optimization has undergone a substantial progress. Commercial finite element

codes have added optimization methods, but, most of these software packages deal
only with deterministic parameters. However, uncertainties are inherent in design
variables and parameters such as material properties, loading and geometry
parameters. Other type of uncertainty is caused by inaccurate knowledge of the
model and is named epistemic uncertainty. It is necessary to concider all these
typeof uncertainties in the design of any engineering system to assure reliability
and quality.

FERUM
FERUM; Finite Element Reliability Using Matlab With time FERUM has grown to also
serve as a test-bed for development and visualization of new methods and solution
strategies in structural reliability and for implementation of these methods in
larger codes, such as OpenSees. An open-source development strategy has been used,
welcoming other researchers to connect to, make use of the program and contribute
to it. This has proved successful. Significant contributions have been provided by
others (see the program overview and table of contributors). FERUM is now well
known in the structural reliability community and is used in many universities as a
teaching and research tool.

https://www.academia.edu/12079459/Development_of_a_Reliability-
Based_Design_Optimization_Toolbox_for_the_FERUM_Software

http://www.swmath.org/software/6672