System Reliability Assessment and Optimization

This unique treatment systematically interprets a spectrum of importance measures to provide a comprehensive overview of their applications in the areas of reliability, network, risk, mathematical programming, and optimization. Investigating the precise relationships among various importance measures, it describes how they are modelled and combined with other design tools to allow users to solve readily many real-world, large-scale decision-making problems. Presenting the state-of-the-art in network analysis, multistate systems, and application in modern systems, this book offers a clear and complete introduction to the topic. Through describing the reliability importance and the fundamentals, it covers advanced topics such as signature of coherent systems, multi-linear functions, and new interpretation of the mathematical programming problems. Key highlights: Generalizes the concepts behind importance measures (such as sensitivity and perturbation analysis, uncertainty analysis, mathematical programming, network designs), enabling readers to address large-scale problems within various fields effectively Covers a large range of importance measures, including those in binary coherent systems, binary monotone systems, multistate systems, continuum systems, repairable systems, as well as importance measures of pairs and groups of components Demonstrates numerical and practical applications of importance measures and the related methodologies, including risk analysis in nuclear power plants, cloud computing, software reliability and more Provides thorough comparisons, examples and case studies on relations of different importance measures, with conclusive results based on the authors’ own research Describes reliability design such as redundancy allocation, system upgrading and component assignment. This book will benefit researchers and practitioners interested in systems design, reliability, risk and optimization, statistics, maintenance, prognostics and operations. Readers can develop feasible approaches to solving various open-ended problems in their research and practical work. Software developers, IT analysts and reliability and safety engineers in nuclear, telecommunications, offshore and civil industries will also find the book useful.

Practical tools for analyzing, calculating, and reporting availability, reliability, and maintainability metrics Engineers in the telecommunications industry must be able to quantify system reliability and availability metrics for use in service level agreements, system design decisions, and daily operations. Increasing system complexity and software dependence require new, more sophisticated tools for system modeling and metric calculation than those available in the current literature. Telecommunications System Reliability Engineering, Theory, and Practice provides a background in reliability engineering theory as well as detailed sections discussing applications to fiber optic networks (earth station and space segment), microwave networks (long-haul, cellular backhaul and mobile wireless), satellite networks (teleport and VSAT), power systems (generators, commercial power and battery systems), facilities management, and software/firmware. Programming techniques and examples for simulation of the approaches presented are discussed throughout the book. This powerful resource: Acts as a comprehensive reference and textbook for analysis and design of highly reliable and available telecommunications systems Bridges the fields of system reliability theory, telecommunications system engineering, and computer programming Translates abstract reliability theory concepts into practical tools and techniques for technical managers, engineers and students Provides telecommunication engineers with a holistic understanding of system reliability theory, telecommunications system engineering, and reliability/risk analysis Telecommunications System Reliability Engineering, Theory, and Practice is a must-have guide for telecommunications engineers or engineering students planning to work in the field of telecommunications Telecommunications System Reliability Engineering, Theory, and Practice is a must-have guide for telecommunications engineers or engineering students planning to work in the field of telecommunications.

Learn how to model, predict, and manage system reliability/availability throughout the development life cycle Written by a panel of authors with a wealth of industry experience, the methods and concepts presented here give readers a solid understanding of modeling and managing system and software availability and reliability through the development of real applications and products. The modeling and prediction techniques and tools are customer-focused and data-driven, and are also aligned with industry standards (Telcordia, TL 9000, ISO, etc.). Readers will get a clear understanding about what real-world reliability and availability mean through step-by-step discussions of: System availability Conceptual model of reliability and availability Why availability varies between customers Modeling availability Estimating parameters and availability from field data Estimating input parameters from laboratory data Estimating input parameters in the architecture/design stage Prediction accuracy Connecting the dots This book can be used by system architects, engineers, and developers to better understand and manage the reliability/availability of their products; quality engineers to grasp how software and hardware quality relate to system availability; and engineering students as part of a short course on system availability and software reliability.

Offers timely and comprehensive coverage of dynamic system reliability theory This book focuses on hot issues of dynamic system reliability, systematically introducing the reliability modeling and analysis methods for systems with imperfect fault coverage, systems with function dependence, systems subject to deterministic or probabilistic common-cause failures, systems subject to deterministic or probabilistic competing failures, and dynamic standby sparing systems. It presents recent developments of such extensions involving reliability modelling theory, reliability evaluation methods, and features numerous case studies based on real-world examples. The presented dynamic reliability theory can enable a more accurate representation of actual complex system behavior, thus more effectively guiding the reliable design of real-world critical systems. Dynamic System Reliability: Modelling and Analysis of Dynamic and Dependent Behaviors begins by describing the evolution from the traditional static reliability theory to the dynamic system reliability theory, and provides a detailed investigation of dynamic and dependent behaviors in subsequent chapters. Although written for those with a background in basic probability theory and stochastic processes, the book includes a chapter reviewing the fundamentals that readers need to know in order to understand contents of other chapters which cover advanced topics in reliability theory and case studies. The first book systematically focusing on dynamic system reliability modelling and analysis theory Provides a comprehensive treatment on imperfect fault coverage (single-level/multi-level or modular), function dependence, common cause failures (deterministic and probabilistic), competing failures (deterministic and probabilistic), and dynamic standby sparing Includes abundant illustrative examples and case studies based on real-world systems Covers recent advances in combinatorial models and algorithms for dynamic system reliability analysis Offers a rich set of references, providing helpful resources for readers to pursue further research and study of the topics Dynamic System Reliability: Modelling and Analysis of Dynamic and Dependent Behaviors is an excellent book for undergraduate and graduate students, and engineers and researchers in reliability and related disciplines.

We all like to know how reliable and how risky certain situations are, and our increasing reliance on technology has led to the need for more precise assessments than ever before. Such precision has resulted in efforts both to sharpen the notions of risk and reliability, and to quantify them. Quantification is required for normative decision-making, especially decisions pertaining to our safety and wellbeing. Increasingly in recent years Bayesian methods have become key to such quantifications. Reliability and Risk provides a comprehensive overview of the mathematical and statistical aspects of risk and reliability analysis, from a Bayesian perspective. This book sets out to change the way in which we think about reliability and survival analysis by casting them in the broader context of decision-making. This is achieved by: Providing a broad coverage of the diverse aspects of reliability, including: multivariate failure models, dynamic reliability, event history analysis, non-parametric Bayes, competing risks, co-operative and competing systems, and signature analysis. Covering the essentials of Bayesian statistics and exchangeability, enabling readers who are unfamiliar with Bayesian inference to benefit from the book. Introducing the notion of “composite reliability”, or the collective reliability of a population of items. Discussing the relationship between notions of reliability and survival analysis and econometrics and financial risk. Reliability and Risk can most profitably be used by practitioners and research workers in reliability and survivability as a source of information, reference, and open problems. It can also form the basis of a graduate level course in reliability and risk analysis for students in statistics, biostatistics, engineering (industrial, nuclear, systems), operations research, and other mathematically oriented scientists, wherein the instructor could supplement the material with examples and problems.

Optimization of Power System Operation, 2nd Edition, offers a practical, hands-on guide to theoretical developments and to the application of advanced optimization methods to realistic electric power engineering problems. The book includes: New chapter on Application of Renewable Energy, and a new chapter on Operation of Smart Grid New topics include wheeling model, multi-area wheeling, and the total transfer capability computation in multiple areas Continues to provide engineers and academics with a complete picture of the optimization of techniques used in modern power system operation

Offers a holistic approach to guiding product design, manufacturing, and after-sales support as the manufacturing industry transitions from a product-oriented model to service-oriented paradigm This book provides fundamental knowledge and best industry practices in reliability modelling, maintenance optimization, and service parts logistics planning. It aims to develop an integrated product-service system (IPSS) synthesizing design for reliability, performance-based maintenance, and spare parts inventory. It also presents a lifecycle reliability-inventory optimization framework where reliability, redundancy, maintenance, and service parts are jointly coordinated. Additionally, the book aims to report the latest advances in reliability growth planning, maintenance contracting and spares inventory logistics under non-stationary demand condition. Reliability Engineering and Service provides in-depth chapter coverage of topics such as: Reliability Concepts and Models; Mean and Variance of Reliability Estimates; Design for Reliability; Reliability Growth Planning; Accelerated Life Testing and Its Economics; Renewal Theory and Superimposed Renewals; Maintenance and Performance-Based Logistics; Warranty Service Models; Basic Spare Parts Inventory Models; Repairable Inventory Systems; Integrated Product-Service Systems (IPPS), and Resilience Modeling and Planning Guides engineers to design reliable products at a low cost Assists service engineers in providing superior after-sales support Enables managers to respond to the changing market and customer needs Uses end-of-chapter case studies to illustrate industry best practice Lifecycle approach to reliability, maintenance and spares provisioning Reliability Engineering and Service is an important book for graduate engineering students, researchers, and industry-based reliability practitioners and consultants.

A comprehensively updated and reorganized new edition. The updates include comparative methods for improving reliability; methods for optimal allocation of limited resources to achieve a maximum risk reduction; methods for improving reliability at no extra cost and building reliability networks for engineering systems. Includes: A unique set of 46 generic principles for reducing technical risk Monte Carlo simulation algorithms for improving reliability and reducing risk Methods for setting reliability requirements based on the cost of failure New reliability measures based on a minimal separation of random events on a time interval Overstress reliability integral for determining the time to failure caused by overstress failure modes A powerful equation for determining the probability of failure controlled by defects in loaded components with complex shape Comparative methods for improving reliability which do not require reliability data Optimal allocation of limited resources to achieve a maximum risk reduction Improving system reliability based solely on a permutation of interchangeable components

Discover the practical impacts of current methods of optimization with this approachable, one-stop resource Linear and Convex Optimization: A Mathematical Approach delivers a concise and unified treatment of optimization with a focus on developing insights in problem structure, modeling, and algorithms. Convex optimization problems are covered in detail because of their many applications and the fast algorithms that have been developed to solve them.  Experienced researcher and undergraduate teacher Mike Veatch presents the main algorithms used in linear, integer, and convex optimization in a mathematical style with an emphasis on what makes a class of problems practically solvable and developing insight into algorithms geometrically. Principles of algorithm design and the speed of algorithms are discussed in detail, requiring no background in algorithms. The book offers a breadth of recent applications to demonstrate the many areas in which optimization is successfully and frequently used, while the process of formulating optimization problems is addressed throughout.  Linear and Convex Optimization contains a wide variety of features, including: Coverage of current methods in optimization in a style and level that remains appealing and accessible for mathematically trained undergraduates Enhanced insights into a few algorithms, instead of presenting many algorithms in cursory fashion An emphasis on the formulation of large, data-driven optimization problems Inclusion of linear, integer, and convex optimization, covering many practically solvable problems using algorithms that share many of the same concepts Presentation of a broad range of applications to fields like online marketing, disaster response, humanitarian development, public sector planning, health delivery, manufacturing, and supply chain management Ideal for upper level undergraduate mathematics majors with an interest in practical applications of mathematics, this book will also appeal to business, economics, computer science, and operations research majors with at least two years of mathematics training.