Graphs models and algorithms for reliability assessment of coherent and non-coherent systems

Abstract

In this article, we propose new models and algorithms for the reliability assessment of systems relying on concepts of graphs theory. These developments exploit the order relation on the set of system components’ states which is graphically represented by the Hasse diagram. The monotony property of the reliability structure function of coherent systems allows us to obtain an ordered graph from the Hasse diagram. This ordered graph represents all the system states and it can be obtained from only the knowledge of the system tie-sets. First of all, this model gives a new way for the research of a minimal disjoint Boolean polynomial, and, second, it is able to directly find the system reliability without resorting to an intermediate Boolean polynomial. Browsing the paths from the minimal tie-sets to the maxima of the ordered graph and using a weight associated with each node, we are able to propose a new algorithm to directly obtain the reliability polynomial by the research of sub-graphs representing eligible monomials. This approach is then extended to non-coherent systems thanks to the introduction of a new concept of terminal tie-sets. These algorithms are applied to some case studies, for both coherent and non-coherent real systems, and the results compared with those computed using standard reliability block diagram or fault tree models validate the proposed approach. Formal definitions of used graphs and of developed algorithms are also given, making their software implementation easy and efficient.