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Methods of System Reliability in Multidimensional Spaces

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Probabilistic Methods for Structural Design

Part of the book series: Solid Mechanics and Its Applications ((SMIA,volume 56))

Abstract

In general, a system is understood as a technical arrangement of clearly identifiable (system—) components whose functioning depends on the proper functioning of all or a subset of its components. For a reliability analysis, a number of idealizations are convenient if not necessary. It is assumed that the components can attain only two states, i.e. one functioning (safe, working, active,...) and one failure (unsafe, defect, inactive,...) state. This is a simplification which is not always appropriate but we will maintain it throughout the text. If there is a natural multi—state description of a component or a system we shall assume that this is reduced to a two-state description in a suitable manner. In practice, this step of modeling might be not an easy task. It is, nevertheless, mandatory in practical system reliability analyses. Several attempts have been made to establish concepts for analyzing systems with multi—state components (see, for example, Caldarola, 1980; Fardis and Cornell, 1981). It should be clear that systems then have also multiple states and the definition of safe or failure states requires great care. Such relatively recent extensions of the classical concepts cannot be dealt with herein.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technical University Munich, Arcisstr. 21, 80290, Munich, Germany

    R. Rackwitz

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  1. R. Rackwitz
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal

    C. Guedes Soares

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Rackwitz, R. (1997). Methods of System Reliability in Multidimensional Spaces. In: Soares, C.G. (eds) Probabilistic Methods for Structural Design. Solid Mechanics and Its Applications, vol 56. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5614-1_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5614-1_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6366-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-5614-1

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