Uncertainty Analysis

Monte Carlo simulation

User guide
English version

Iva Nachtigalová
Miloslav Suchánek

ICT Prague Metrological laboratory

associated laboratory of CMI
 Uncertainty Analysis – user guide

Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................3

1 Application requirements .............................................................................................................. 3

2 Manipulation with application ...................................................................................................... 3
3 User interface ................................................................................................................................ 4
4 Inserting input data ....................................................................................................................... 5
4.1 Measurement ................................................................................................................. 5
4.2 Calibration ...................................................................................................................... 6
5 Running analysis and interpretation of results ............................................................................. 7
5.1 Measurement ................................................................................................................. 7
5.2 Calibration ...................................................................................................................... 9
6 Recalculating analysis .................................................................................................................... 9
7 Report messages ......................................................................................................................... 12
8 Printing ........................................................................................................................................ 12
9 Saving........................................................................................................................................... 12

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 Uncertainty Analysis – user guide

Introduction
Uncertainty Analysis is a spreadsheet application which performs analysis of the uncertainties in the
measurement and calibration based on propagation of probability distribution. In accordance with
documents
 ISO/IEC 98-3:2008 Uncertainty of measurement – Part 3: Guide to the expression of uncertainty
in measurement (GUM 1995)
 ISO/IEC Guide 98-3/Suppl.1:2008 Uncertainty of measurement – Part 3: Guide to the expression
of uncertainty in measurement (GUM 1995), Supplement 1: Propagation of distribution using
Monte Carlo method
the application evaluates
 in case of the measurement value, standard uncertainty and probability distribution of a
measurand from a measurement function and from estimations of input quantities
 in case of the calibration
1. values and standard uncertainties of coefficients of linear calibration relationship between
estimates of measurand and estimates of corresponding signal of a measuring instrument
or a system provided by etalon
2. corrected value for recovery and standard uncertainty of measurand provided by sample
from estimation of corresponding signal of a measuring instrument or a system and from
linear calibration relationship.
All estimates are simulated from supposed probability distributions (or normal probability
distribution in case of calibration) by Monte Carlo method, values and standard uncertainties of
calibration coefficients are calculated by bilinear regression method with uncertainties on both axes.
Note: Measurement model assumes equation with 1 measurand and max. 10 input quantities with
normal, rectangular or symmetrical triangular probability distribution. Calibration table assumes
max. 10 pairs of calibration measurements provided by an etalon.
Note: As in case of the measurement, so in case of the calibration application generates always 5 000
estimations.
The application consists of one file UncertaintyAnalysis.xltm which complements this PDF user guide.

1 Application requirements
File UncertaintyAnalysis.xltm is a document of the program MS Excel 2007 and MS Excel 2010 that
contains macros (series of VBA commands). Therefore, the spreadsheet application requires
installation some of mentioned versions MS Excel and enabled macros (permanently in the Trust
Center or temporarily in the Message Bar when you create new workbook – see on-line help for
Office 2007 or Office 2010).

2 Manipulation with application

Essentially, the file UncertaintyAnalysis.xltm is the workbook template (the file with XLTM extension),
i.e. the model that serves as the basis of other workbooks. If user wants to insert input data and to
get results of uncertainty analysis he must create a new workbook based on the template and then
manipulate only with new workbook.

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 Uncertainty Analysis – user guide

Note: New workbook can be created by double-clicking the template in any file manager (e.g.
Windows Explorer, Total Commander etc.) or in the dialog box under MS Excel command New > New
from existing file. The new workbook copies content, formatting, VBA codes and customized user
interface from the template, so the template remains unchanged. However, if user accidentally
changes the template the full application functionality cannot be provided and the user must
download the template again.
Way to manipulation with a new workbook is a simple: firstly, user must insert data (see
Chap. Chyba! Nenalezen zdroj odkazů.), and secondly, user must run chosen analysis (see Chap. 5)
and – if it is possible – he can recalculate it (see Chap. Chyba! Nenalezen zdroj odkazů.). Each new
workbook generates sheets that can be handled in a standard way (more about printing sheets and
saving in Chap. Chyba! Nenalezen zdroj odkazů. and Chyba! Nenalezen zdroj odkazů.).

3 User interface
Each new workbook based on the template has customized ribbon interface with the new tab
Uncertainty Analysis (at the end of the ribbon) that contains new controls (see Fig. 1). Controls are
divided into two groups – Measurement intended for uncertainty analysis in measurement and
Calibration intended for uncertainty analysis in calibration. Functions of controls are following:
 New Input Data
Button that opens the new sheet named MData # or CData # for inserting input data.
 New Analysis
Menu with two buttons: Full with intermediate and final results that runs analysis and
generates new report sheet MReport # or CReport # with Excel formulae, intermediate and
final results, and Quick with final results which runs the same analysis but generates new
report sheet only with final results. Menu is accessible only if some sheet MData # or CData #
is active.
 Repeat Analysis
Button that recalculates analysis. Button is accessible only if report sheet generated by button
Full with intermediate and final results is active.

Fig. 1 New ribbon tab Uncertainty Analysis and its controls

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Note: It is also possible to run the macros associated with ribbon controls by shortcuts displaying in
the tooltips (see Fig. 1), or from the list of macros in the dialog box of the button Macros on the tab
Developer.
Note: If workbook or MS Excel crashes the tab Uncertainty Analysis or its controls may not be
accessible. In this case user must restart the program MS Excel and reopen workbook.

4 Inserting input data

Inputs for analysis must be inserted into colored cells of the sheets MData # or CData # that are
generated by button New Input Data (see Chap. Chyba! Nenalezen zdroj odkazů.).
Note: Cells for inserting input data are highlighted by the same color as buttons in the ribbon tab
Uncertainty analysis. Similarly, they are highlighted as well as the final results of analyses.
Note: Sheets are protected against insertion data of other types than required ones. For this reason
user can insert data only from keyboard, not from other sheets, files or programs.

4.1 Measurement
Uncertainty analysis in measurement requires these inputs:
 Name
Names or descriptions of input quantities (in table Input Quantities) and measurand (in table
Measurand).
 Units
Physical units of input quantities (in table Input Quantities) and measurand (in table
Measurand).
 Value
Values or (arithmetic) means of input quantities (in table Input Quantities).
 Distribution
Supposed probability distributions of input quantities (in table Input Quantities).
 Standard Uncertainty
Standard uncertainties of input quantities. In case of normal distribution, user inserts the
standard deviation; in case of rectangular and symmetrical triangular distribution, user can
insert the Excel formula =x/3^0,5 or =x/6^0,5 respectively, where x is the value of the half-
width of distribution interval (see Fig. 2).
 Function
Excel formula of the measurement function (i.e. formula for calculation of measurand) of
which arguments must be cell address from the column Name of the table Input Quantities.
Formula must be inserted into the dialog box and then it is displayed in the cell in symbolic
form (see Fig. 3).
In addition to these required data, user can insert optional notes into cells labeled Your Notices.
Note: The formula of the measurement function must be really Excel formula, i.e. must starts by sign
= and can contain only numbers, basic mathematical operators, rounded brackets and cells
addresses. User does not need to insert addresses from the keyboard - if user types the formula he
can click on a cell in the column Name and MS Excel inserts corresponding address into the formula
on actual cursor position.

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Fig. 2 Sheet MData – insertion of Excel formula for calculation of standard uncertainty
of input quantity b with rectangular distribution

Fig. 3 Sheet MData – insertion of Excel formula of measurement function

4.2 Calibration
Uncertainty analysis in calibration requires these inputs:
 Name
Name or description of a measurand.
 Units
Units of a measurand and signal of measurement instrument or system.
 Value
Values or (arithmetic) means of a measurand provided by etalon and corresponding signal of
measuring instrument or system (in table Calibration Table) and value of signal of measuring
instrument or system provided by a sample (in table Measurement).
 Recovery
Recovery of a measurand provided by etalon.

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 Standard Uncertainty
Standard deviations of a measurand provided by etalon and standard deviations associated
with signals of a measuring instrument or system (in table Calibration Table), standard
deviation associated with a recovery of a measurand and a standard deviation associated with
a signal of a measuring instrument or system provided by the sample (in table Measurement).
In addition to these required data, user can insert optional notes into cells labeled Your Notices (see
Fig. 4)

Fig. 4 Sheet CData –insertion of value of signal of a measuring instrument or system

5 Running analysis and interpretation of results

Uncertainty analysis is triggered by one of the two buttons in the menu New Analysis (see Chap. 3) if
any of sheet with input data MData # or CData # is active. User is informed about status of the
analysis on the Status bar of MS Excel. Both buttons generate report sheets with identical final
results, only report sheets generated by button Full intermediate and final results contain
intermediate results and Excel formulas in addition which enable recalculation of analysis (see Chap.
Chyba! Nenalezen zdroj odkazů.).

5.1 Measurement
Report sheets with results of uncertainty analysis in measurement (see Fig. 5) contain all input data
in the section labeled DATA; results are located in the other sections. Their meaning is as follows:
 ESTIMATION OF INPUT QUANTITIES
The table Input Quantities with names, units, distributions, simulated means and simulated
standard deviations of input quantities, and table Measurand with measurand name and unit
and measurement function. Report sheets generated by button Full with intermediate and
final results contain also estimates simulated from distribution in each Monte Carlo trial.

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Fig. 5 Sheet MReport – intermediate and final results generated by button Full with intermediate and final results

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 ESTIMATION OF MEASURAND
Table Measurand with name, unit, simulated mean and simulated standard deviation of
measurand. Report sheets generated by button Full with intermediate and final results contain
also estimates of measurand in each Monte Carlo trial which were simulated from estimates of
inputs and measurement function.
 ESTIMATED MEASURAND HISTOGRAM, PROBABILITY DENSITY FUNCTION AND DISTRIBUTION
FUNCTION
Tables Parameters and Bins, frequencies and distribution function with parameters, bins and
frequencies from which are plotted chart Histogram of Measurand and chart Probability
Density and Distribution Functions of Measurand.

5.2 Calibration
Report sheets with results of uncertainty analysis in calibration (see Fig. 6 a 7) contain all input data
in the section labeled DATA; results are located in the other sections. Their meaning is as follows:
 ESTIMATION OF MEASURAND AND SIGNAL PROVIDED BY MEASUREMENT STANDARD
Table Calibration Table with names, units, simulated values and simulated standard deviations
of measurand provided by etalon and corresponding signal of a measuring instrument or
system. Sheets generated by button Full with intermediate and final results contain also
estimates of quantities simulated from normal distribution in each Monte Carlo trial.
 ESTIMATION OF COEFFICIENTS OF CALIBRATION FUNCTION
Table Calibration Function with values of coefficients b2 and b1 and their standard deviations
su(b1) and su(b2) of calibration relationship Y = b2X + b1 which were calculated from estimates
of table Calibration Table by bilinear regression method with uncertainties on both axes.
Sheets generated by button Full with intermediate and final results contain also table Bilinear
Least Squares Regression which calculates next regression data – correlation coefficient
ro(b1,b2), covariance covar(b1,b2), sum of squared deviations S and number of degrees of
freedom df.
 ESTIMATION OF MEASURAND AND SIGNAL PROVIDED BY SAMPLE
Table Measurement with name, unit, simulated value (corrected for recovery) and simulated
standard deviation of measurand provided by sample and corresponding signal of a measuring
instrument or system. Sheets generated by button Full with intermediate and final results
contain also estimates of quantity simulated from normal distribution in each Monte Carlo
trial.

6 Recalculating analysis
Report sheets with intermediate and final results which were generated by button Full intermediate
and final results contains Excel formulae and thus can be recalculated. Analysis recalculation is
triggered by button Repeat Analysis (see Chap. 3) if any of sheets with intermediate and final results
is active. User is informed about status of the analysis on the Status bar of MS Excel.
Note: Analysis are based on estimates of quantities simulated by Monte Carlo method that uses
built-in RAND function to generate random numbers from the interval < 0, 1 >. Therefore at each
sheet recalculation results of uncertainty analyses are slightly different.
Note: Report sheets with final results generated by button Quick with final results do not contain
Excel formulae and thus it is not possible to recalculate them.

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Fig. 6 Sheet CReport – left part with input data, estimates of pairs of calibration table and estimates of coefficients of calibration relationship
generated by the button Full with intermediate and final results

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
Fig. 7 Sheet CReport – right part with values and standard deviations of measurand provided by sample, its estimations and signal of a measuring
instrument or system generated by button Full with intermediate and final results

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7 Report messages
Report sheets confirm successful analyses, if not warn the user to possible errors. Messages are
always displayed in the row no. 4 under the sheet identification header and they differ in color (see
Fig. 8)

Fig. 8 Report message warning to errors in input data (on the left)
and confirming successful analysis (on the right)

8 Printing
If it is necessary sheets with input data and report sheets with results can be printed (it is better to
print report sheets with a less volume of data that were generated by button Quick with final
results). Print preview or printing is invoked using standard MS Excel commands.
Note: Print parameters are set so analysis inputs and outputs to include sheet identification header
of the current sheet and to cover just one A4 page. However after connection the user‘s printer, the
page margins can be automatically changed and printed data can be distributed to multiple pages.
Then user must adjust print parameters manually.

9 Saving
Each workbook based on the spreadsheet application template contains VBA codes which treat input
data, generate estimates of the quantities by Monte Carlo method, calculate coefficients of the
calibration curve, plot charts and ensure functions associated with the ribbon controls. So workbook
remains fully functional it must be saved as sheet with enabled macros (with file extension XLSM).
Note: If a workbook is saved as a standard one without enabled macros (with extension XLSX) it
irreversibly (!) loses all macros and so its functionality.
Note: Report sheets with a big volume of data generated by button Full with intermediate and final
results slow opening and saving a workbook and significantly increasing its size. In the case of a large
number of analyses is therefore preferable to work with several workbooks.

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