Advanced Maintenance Modeling

Abstract

This chapter provides a brief introduction to maintenance modeling with various maintenance policies, including age replacement, block replacement, and multiple failure degradation processes. We then discuss reliability modeling for degradation systems subject to competing failure processes. We also describe inspection maintenance modeling for degraded repairable systems with competing failure processes. An average long-run maintenance cost rate function is derived on the basis of the expression for the degradation paths and cumulative shock damage, which are measurable. An inspection sequence is determined on the basis of the minimal maintenance cost rate. Upon inspection, a decision will be made whether to perform a preventive maintenance or not. The optimum replacement policies and preventive maintenance thresholds are also determined. Several numerical examples are also given to illustrate the models. A brief warranty concept is also discussed.