Reliability of Systems

Sachbudi Abbas Ras, ST (ITB), MT (ITB)

Slide 1

Introduction

In analyzing a complex system, a particular failure law may be applied to the entire system. An alternative approach is to determine an appropriate reliability or reliability model for each component of the system, and by applying the rules of probability according to the configuration of the components within the system, compute a system reliability.
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Sachbudi Abbas Ras

Serial Configuration

Components within a system may be related to one another in two primary ways: in either a serial or a parallel configuration. In series all components must function for the system to function. In a parallel, or redundant, configuration, at least one component must function for the system to function.
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Sachbudi Abbas Ras

Serial Configuration

Under this concept, if either of two serially related components fails, the system will fail. The series relationship is represented by the following reliability block diagram:
1 2 ... n

Sachbudi Abbas Ras

Slide 4

Serial Configuration

Since reliability is a probability, a system reliability Rs may be determined from component reliabilities in the following way. E1 = the event that component 1 does not fail and E2 = the event that component 2 does not fail; then P(E1) = R1 and P(E2) = R2. Where R1 = the reliability of component 1 and R2 = the reliability of component 2.
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Sachbudi Abbas Ras

Serial Configuration

Therefore Rs = P(E1E2) = P(E1) P(E2) = R1(R2) assuming that the two components are independent (i.e., the failure or non failure of one component does not change the reliability of the other component). Generalizing to n mutually independent components in series, Rs(t) = R1(t) R2(t) Rn(t) min. {R1(t), R2(t), , Rn(t)}.
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Serial Configuration

The system reliability can therefore be no greater than the smallest component reliability.

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Parallel Configuration

Two or more components are in parallel, or redundant, configuration if all units must fail for the system to fail. If one or more units operate, the system continues to operate.
1 2 . . . n

Reliability block diagram for components in parallel

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Slide 8

Parallel Configuration

System reliability for n parallel and independent components is found by taking 1 minus the probability that all n components fail (i.e., the probability that at least one component does not fail). Rs = P(E1E2) = 1 P(E1E2)c = 1 P(E1cE2c) = 1 P(E1c)P(E2c) = 1 (1 - R1) (1 - R2). Then, Rs(t) max. {R1(t), R2(t), , Rn(t)}.
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Combined Systems

Systems typically contain components in both serial and parallel relationships.

R1 R3 R2 R6 R4 R5

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Slide 10

(High-Level versus Low-Level Redundancy)

Combined Systems

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