Probabilistic Reliability Models

Without proper reliability and maintenance planning, even the most efficient and seemingly cost-effective designs can incur enormous expenses due to repeated or catastrophic failure and subsequent search for the cause. Today’s engineering students face increasing pressure from employers, customers, and regulators to produce cost-efficient designs that are less prone to failure and that are safe and easy to use. The second edition of Reliability Engineering aims to provide an understanding of reliability principles and maintenance planning to help accomplish these goals. This edition expands the treatment of several topics while maintaining an integrated introductory resource for the study of reliability evaluation and maintenance planning. The focus across all of the topics treated is the use of analytical methods to support the design of dependable and efficient equipment and the planning for the servicing of that equipment. The argument is made that probability models provide an effective vehicle for portraying and evaluating the variability that is inherent in the performance and longevity of equipment. With a blend of mathematical rigor and readability, this book is the ideal introductory textbook for graduate students and a useful resource for practising engineers.

Handbook of Probabilistic Models carefully examines the application of advanced probabilistic models in conventional engineering fields. In this comprehensive handbook, practitioners, researchers and scientists will find detailed explanations of technical concepts, applications of the proposed methods, and the respective scientific approaches needed to solve the problem. This book provides an interdisciplinary approach that creates advanced probabilistic models for engineering fields, ranging from conventional fields of mechanical engineering and civil engineering, to electronics, electrical, earth sciences, climate, agriculture, water resource, mathematical sciences and computer sciences. Specific topics covered include minimax probability machine regression, stochastic finite element method, relevance vector machine, logistic regression, Monte Carlo simulations, random matrix, Gaussian process regression, Kalman filter, stochastic optimization, maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, Bayesian update, kriging, copula-statistical models, and more. Explains the application of advanced probabilistic models encompassing multidisciplinary research Applies probabilistic modeling to emerging areas in engineering Provides an interdisciplinary approach to probabilistic models and their applications, thus solving a wide range of practical problems

Practical Approaches to Reliability Theory in Cutting-Edge Applications Probabilistic Reliability Models helps readers understand and properly use statistical methods and optimal resource allocation to solve engineering problems. The author supplies engineers with a deeper understanding of mathematical models while also equipping mathematically oriented readers with a fundamental knowledge of the engineeringrelated applications at the center of model building. The book showcases the use of probability theory and mathematical statistics to solve common, real-world reliability problems. Following an introduction to the topic, subsequent chapters explore key systems and models including: • Unrecoverable objects and recoverable systems • Methods of direct enumeration • Markov models and heuristic models • Performance effectiveness • Time redundancy • System survivability • Aging units and their related systems • Multistate systems Detailed case studies illustrate the relevance of the discussed methods to real-world technical projects including software failure avalanches, gas pipelines with underground storage, and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) control systems. Numerical examples and detailed explanations accompany each topic, and exercises throughout allow readers to test their comprehension of the presented material. Probabilistic Reliability Models is an excellent book for statistics, engineering, and operations research courses on applied probability at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. The book is also a valuable reference for professionals and researchers working in industry who would like a mathematical review of reliability models and the relevant applications.

The book presents highly technical approaches to the probabilistic physics of failure analysis and applications to accelerated life and degradation testing to reliability prediction and assessment. Beside reviewing a select set of important failure mechanisms, the book covers basic and advanced methods of performing accelerated life test and accelerated degradation tests and analyzing the test data. The book includes a large number of very useful examples to help readers understand complicated methods described. Finally, MATLAB, R and OpenBUGS computer scripts are provided and discussed to support complex computational probabilistic analyses introduced.

With the growing complexity of engineered systems, reliability hasincreased in importance throughout the twentieth century. Initiallydeveloped to meet practical needs, reliability theory has become anapplied mathematical discipline that permits a priori evaluationsof various reliability indices at the design stages. Theseevaluations help engineers choose an optimal system structure,improve methods of maintenance, and estimate the reliability on thebasis of special testing. Probabilistic Reliability Engineeringfocuses on the creation of mathematical models for solving problemsof system design. Broad and authoritative in its content, Probabilistic ReliabilityEngineering covers all mathematical models associated withprobabilistic methods of reliability analysis, including--unique tothis book--maintenance and cost analysis, as well as many newresults of probabilistic testing. To provide readers with all necessary background material, thistext incorporates a thorough review of the fundamentals ofprobability theory and the theory of stochastic processes. Itoffers clear and detailed treatment of reliability indices, thestructure function, load-strength reliability models, distributionswith monotone intensity functions, repairable systems, the Markovmodels, analysis of performance effectiveness, two-pole networks,optimal redundancy, optimal technical diagnosis, and heuristicmethods in reliability. Throughout the text, an abundance of realworld examples and case studies illustrate and illuminate thetheoretical points under consideration. For engineers in design, operations research, and maintenance, aswell as cost analysts and R&D managers, ProbabilisticReliability Engineering offers the most lucid, comprehensivetreatment of the subject available anywhere. About the editor JAMES A. FALK is Professor and Chairman of the Department ofOperations Research at George Washington University. In addition tohis numerous publications, Dr. Falk has lectured internationally asa Fulbright Lecturer. Of related interest... The reliability-testing "bible" for three generations of EasternEuropean scientists, adapted for Western scientists andengineers... HANDBOOK OF RELIABILITY ENGINEERING Originally published in the USSR, Handbook of ReliabilityEngineering set the standard for the reliability testing oftechnical systems for nearly three generations of appliedscientists and engineers. Authored by a group of prominent Sovietspecialists in reliability, it provides professionals and studentswith a comprehensive reference covering mathematical formulas andtechniques for incorporating reliability into engineering designsand testing procedures. Divided into twenty-four self-containedchapters, the Handbook details reliability fundamentals, examinescommon reliability problems and solutions, provides a collection ofcomputation formulas, and illustrates practical applications. The Handbook's Russian editor and internationally recognized expertIgor A. Ushakov has joined with American engineering professionalsto bring this indispensable resource to English-speaking engineersand scientists. 1994 (0-471-57173-3) 663 pp.

This textbook provides an introduction to probabilistic reliability analysis of power systems. It discusses a range of probabilistic methods used in reliability modelling of power system components, small systems and large systems. It also presents the benefits of probabilistic methods for modelling renewable energy sources. The textbook describes real-life studies, discussing practical examples and providing interesting problems, teaching students the methods in a thorough and hands-on way. The textbook has chapters dedicated to reliability models for components (reliability functions, component life cycle, two-state Markov model, stress-strength model), small systems (reliability networks, Markov models, fault/event tree analysis) and large systems (generation adequacy, state enumeration, Monte-Carlo simulation). Moreover, it contains chapters about probabilistic optimal power flow, the reliability of underground cables and cyber-physical power systems. After reading this book, engineering students will be able to apply various methods to model the reliability of power system components, smaller and larger systems. The textbook will be accessible to power engineering students, as well as students from mathematics, computer science, physics, mechanical engineering, policy & management, and will allow them to apply reliability analysis methods to their own areas of expertise.

Reliability is an essential concept in mathematics, computing, research, and all disciplines of engineering, and reliability as a characteristic is, in fact, a probability. Therefore, in this book, the author uses the statistical approach to reliability modelling along with the MINITAB software package to provide a comprehensive treatment of modelling, from the basics through advanced modelling techniques.The book begins by presenting a thorough grounding in the elements of modelling the lifetime of a single, non-repairable unit. Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject, the author includes a guide to all the fundamentals of probability theory, defines the various measures associated with reliability, then describes and discusses the more common lifetime models: the exponential, Weibull, normal, lognormal and gamma distributions. She concludes the groundwork by looking at ways of choosing and fitting the most appropriate model to a given data set, paying particular attention to two critical points: the effect of censored data and estimating lifetimes in the tail of the distribution.The focus then shifts to topics somewhat more difficult:the difference in the analysis of lifetimes for repairable versus non-repairable systems and whether repair truly ""renews"" the systemmethods for dealing with system with reliability characteristic specified for more than one component or subsystemthe effect of different types of maintenance strategiesthe analysis of life test dataThe final chapter provides snapshot introductions to a range of advanced models and presents two case studies that illustrate various ideas from throughout the book.

This volume consists of twenty-four papers selected by the editors from the sixty-one papers presented at the 1st International Conference on Mathemati cal Methods in Reliability held at the Politehnica University of Bucharest from 16 to 19 September 1997. The papers have been divided into three sections: statistical methods, probabilistic methods, and special techniques and appli cations. Of course, as with any classification, some papers could be as well assigned to other sections. Problems in reliability are encountered in items in everyday usage. Relia bility is an important feature of household appliances, cars, telephones, power supplies, and so on, whether viewed from the vantage of the producer or the consumer. Important decisions are based on the reliability of the product. Obtaining systems that perform adequately for a specified period of time in a given environment is an important goal for both government and industry. Hence study and use of reliability theory, which can be applied in the research, development, and production phases of a system to enable the user to evaluate and improve performance, is a worthwhile venture. If reliability theory is to be useful, it must be quantitative in nature, because reliability must be demonstra ble. Subsequently probability and statistics, among others, play an important part in its development.