Evaluation of the Reliability of a System: Approach by Monte Carlo Simulation and Application

The objective of this paper is to evaluate the reliability of a system in its different states (absence of failures, partial failure and total failure) and to propose actions to improve this reliability by an approach based on Monte Carlo simulation. It consists of a probabilistic evaluation based on Markov Chains. In order to achieve this goal, the functionalities of Markov Chains and Monte Carlo simulation steps are deployed. The application is made on a production system. .

Early Stage Software Reliability Estimation with Stochastic Reward Nets

This paper presents software reliability modeling issues at the early stage of a software development for fault tolerant software management system. Based on Stochastic Reward Nets, an effective model of hierarchical view for a fault tolerant software management system is put forward, and an approach that consists of system transient performance analysis is adopted. A quantitative approach for software reliability analysis is given. The results show its usefulness for the design and evaluation of the early-stage software reliability modeling when failure data is not available.

An efficient reliability evaluation method for industrial wireless sensor networks

Aimed at the difficulties in accurately, comprehensively and systematically evaluating the reliability of industrial wireless sensor networks （WSNs）, a time-evolving state transition-Monte Carlo （TEST-MC） evaluation method and a novel network function value representation method are proposed to evaluate the reliability of the IWSNs. First, the adjacency matrix method is used to characterize three typical topologies of WSNs including the mesh network, tree network and ribbon network. Secondly, the network function value method is used to evaluate the network connectivity, and the TEST-MC evaluation method is used to evaluate network reliability and availability. Finally, the variations in the reliability, connectivity and availability of these three topologies are presented. Simulation results show that the proposed method can quickly analyze the reliability of the networks containing typical WSN topologies, which provides an effective method for the comprehensive and accurate evaluation of the reliability of WSNs.

Bus transit travel time reliability evaluation based on automatic vehicle location data

In order to provide important parameters for schedule designing, decision-making bases for transit operation management and references for passengers traveling by bus, bus transit travel time reliability is analyzed and evaluated based on automatic vehicle location （AVL） data. Based on the statistical analysis of the bus transit travel time, six indices including the coefficient of variance, the width of travel time distribution, the mean commercial speed, the congestion frequency, the planning time index and the buffer time index are proposed. Moreover, a framework for evaluating bus transit travel time reliability is constructed. Finally, a case study on a certain bus route in Suzhou is conducted. Results show that the proposed evaluation index system is simple and intuitive, and it can effectively reflect the efficiency and stability of bus operations. And a distinguishing feature of bus transit travel time reliability is the temporal pattern. It varies across different time periods.

RELIABILITY EVALUATION MODEL BASED ON DATA FUSION FOR AIRCRAFT ENGINES

Reliability evaluation for aircraft engines is difficult because of the scarcity of failure data. But aircraft engine data are available from a variety of sources. Data fusion has the function of maximizing the amount of valu- able information extracted from disparate data sources to obtain the comprehensive reliability knowledge. Consid- ering the degradation failure and the catastrophic failure simultaneously, which are competing risks and can affect the reliability, a reliability evaluation model based on data fusion for aircraft engines is developed, Above the characteristics of the proposed model, reliability evaluation is more feasible than that by only utilizing failure data alone, and is also more accurate than that by only considering single failure mode. Example shows the effective- ness of the proposed model.

Reliability Evaluation Metrics for Open Source Software Selection

Recently, Open Source Software （OSS） is so widely used not only by companies for development but also by common users instead of commercial software. However, the number of OSS is vast, and its quality varies from low to high. So how people can evaluate OSS and ensta-e that it is reliable for use becomes necessary. This paper proposes a set of reliability evaluation metrics considering the states of OSS selected in the early stage. Understandability, Fault tolerance ＆ Recoverability and Community Matmrity as sub-attributes of reliability are defined, and then several evaluation criteria for each of them are identified. A process of reliability evaluation in our study is proposed. For application, we select four OSS projects and evaluate them with our metrics. As a result of compadrison with other evaluation model for OSS, our research presents an easy, effective and trustworthy way for selecting a reliable OSS.

Empirical Research on the Application of a Structure-Based Software Reliability Model

Reliability engineering implemented early in the development process has a significant impact on improving software quality.It can assist in the design of architecture and guide later testing,which is beyond the scope of traditional reliability analysis methods.Structural reliability models work for this,but most of them remain tested in only simulation case studies due to lack of actual data.Here we use software metrics for reliability modeling which are collected from source codes of post versions.Through the proposed strategy,redundant metric elements are filtered out and the rest are aggregated to represent the module reliability.We further propose a framework to automatically apply the module value and calculate overall reliability by introducing formal methods.The experimental results from an actual project show that reliability analysis at the design and development stage can be close to the validity of analysis at the test stage through reasonable application of metric data.The study also demonstrates that the proposed methods have good applicability.

FUZZY RELIABILITY-BASED OPTIMUM DESIGN OF LAMINATED COMPOSITES

In conventional reliability-based optimum design of structures, the reliability is computed based on the probability assumption, and the design objective and constraint are considered as deterministic ones. In many cases, however, there exist some fuzzy factors in the design objective and constraint functions. In this paper, the fuzzy reliability and fuzzy constraint are introduced to establish the fuzzy reliability-based optimum model for laminated composites. The examples show that the method developed in this paper can give consideration to both the reliability demand and the economic aspect of a structure. Since the fuzzy reliability-based optimum design is a ＇soft＇ design, the present results provide a new methodology for the effective evaluation of structural reliability and bring us an alternative optimum design idea.

Reliability Evaluation of Machine Center Components Based on Cascading Failure Analysis

In order to rectify the problems that the com- ponent reliability model exhibits deviation, and the evalu- ation result is low due to the overlook of failure propagation in traditional reliability evaluation of machine center components, a new reliability evaluation method based on cascading failure analysis and the failure influ- enced degree assessment is proposed. A direct graph model of cascading failure among components is established according to cascading failure mechanism analysis and graph theory. The failure influenced degrees of the system components are assessed by the adjacency matrix and its transposition, combined with the Pagerank algorithm. Based on the comprehensive failure probability function and total probability formula, the inherent failure proba- bility function is determined to realize the reliability evaluation of the system components. Finally, the method is applied to a machine center, it shows the following： 1） The reliability evaluation values of the proposed method are at least 2.5% higher than those of the traditional method; 2） The difference between the comprehensive and inherent reliability of the system component presents a positive correlation with the failure influenced degree ofthe system component, which provides a theoretical basis for reliability allocation of machine center system.

Simulation Evaluation Study of System Reliability Based on Improved BayesBootstrap Method

For the disadvantages of analyzing system reliability using common Bayes method,an evaluation method based on improved Bayes-Bootstrap method is presented.Firstly,the data obliteration problem existing in traditional Bayes method is analyzed,then an improved sampling arithmetic is proposed on the foundation of an experience function.Finally,effectiveness of this method is proved by an example.The simulating result shows that this method is more accurate than common Bayes method.

Reliability evaluation method and algorithm for electromechanical product

The reliability of electromechanical product is usually determined by the fault number and working time traditionally. The shortcoming of this method is that the product must be in service. To design and enhance the reliability of the electromechanical product, the reliability evaluation method must be feasible and correct. Reliability evaluation method and algorithm were proposed. The reliability of product can be calculated by the reliability of subsystems which can be gained by experiment or historical data. The reliability of the machining center was evaluated by the method and algorithm as one example. The calculation result shows that the solution accuracy of mean time between failures is 97.4% calculated by the method proposed in this article compared by the traditional method. The method and algorithm can be used to evaluate the reliability of electromechanical product before it is in service.

Reliability Evaluation of All-User Terminals in LEO Satellite Communication Network Based on Modular Reduction

LEO satellite communication network has a large number of satellites distributed in low orbits,which leads to multiple coverage of many areas on the ground.It is hard work to describe and evaluate the reliability of LEO satellite communication network.To solve this problem,the reliability of all-user terminals in LEO satellite communication network is defined,and the corresponding reliability evaluation method is proposed in the paper.Due to the large scale of the interstellar network,a modular reduction algorithm using the modular network instead of the original network for state decomposition is proposed in this paper.Case study shows that the calculation time of the proposed method is equivalent to 6.28%of the original state space decomposition algorithm.On this basis,the reliability of LEO satellite communication network is further analyzed.It is found that the reliability of LEO satellite network was more sensitive to the reliability of Inter-Satellite link and the satisfaction of global coverage in the early stage,and it is more sensitive to the reliability of the satellite in the later stage.The satellite-ground link has a relatively constant impact on of LEO satellite network.

A reliability evaluation method for embryonic cellular array based on Markov status graph model

Due to the limitations of the existing fault detection methods in the embryonic cellular array(ECA), the fault detection coverage cannot reach 100%. In order to evaluate the reliability of the ECA more accurately, embryonic cell and its input and output(I/O) resources are considered as a whole, named functional unit(FU). The FU fault detection coverage parameter is introduced to ECA reliability analysis, and a new ECA reliability evaluation method based on the Markov status graph model is proposed.Simulation experiment results indicate that the proposed ECA reliability evaluation method can evaluate the ECA reliability more effectively and accurately. Based on the proposed reliability evaluation method, the influence of parameters change on the ECA reliability is studied, and simulation experiment results show that ECA reliability can be improved by increasing the FU fault detection coverage and reducing the FU failure rate. In addition, by increasing the scale of the ECA, the reliability increases to the maximum first, and then it will decrease continuously. ECA reliability variation rules can not only provide theoretical guidance for the ECA optimization design, but also point out the direction for further research.

Fatigue damage reliability analysis for Nanjing Yangtze river bridge using structural health monitoring data

To evaluate the fatigue damage reliability of critical members of the Nanjing Yangtze river bridge, according to the stress-number curve and Miner’s rule, the corresponding expressions for calculating the structural fatigue damage reliability were derived. Fatigue damage reliability analysis of some critical members of the Nanjing Yangtze river bridge was carried out by using the strain-time histories measured by the structural health monitoring system of the bridge. The corresponding stress spectra were obtained by the real-time rain-flow counting method. Results of fatigue damage were calculated respectively by the reliability method at different reliability and compared with Miner’s rule. The results show that the fatigue damage of critical members of the Nanjing Yangtze river bridge is very small due to its low live-load stress level.

The Wartime Bridge Reliability Evaluation Model Based on Birth-and-Death Process

At first, the concept of bridge reliability is given, followed with its mathematic model. Then, based on the analysis about the mechanism of the damage and repair of bridges, and the state diversion of bridge network, the state diversion process is proved to be birth-and-death process. In the end, the state diversion balance equation of bridge network is built, and the evaluation model of wartime bridge reliability is got. The model is used in a certain example, and it is proved to be precise and credible.

Reliability and validity of the Tibetan medicine constitution scale: a cross-sectional study of the general population in Beijing, China

Background:The constitutional theory is an important aspect of Tibetan medicine,however a quantitative measurement tool for constitution identification still does not exist.The objective of this study is to evaluate the reliability and validity of a Tibetan medicine constitution scale(TMCS)that consists of three sub-scales and 31 items.Methods:From June to July 2019,622 people from the general population in Beijing,China,aged 18 to 60 were investigated.We employed Cronbach’s alpha(α),split-half reliability,and test-retest reliability to determine the reliability of the scale.The content validity and contract validity of the TMCS were evaluated using factor analysis and correlation analysis based on Tibetan medicine theory.The items were screened according to the reliability test results.Results:After the items were screened,22 items remained in the scale.The Cronbach’s alpha value for the internal consistency reliability of the TMCS was 0.754(95%confidence interval(CI):0.700–0.761).The correlation coefficient for the two-week test-retest of the total score was 0.726(95%CI:0.571–0.834).The split-half coefficient was 0.689(95%CI:0.640–0.734).The scale can be explained by eight potential factors,including morphological structure,physiological function,personality,adaptability,etc.The body mass index was negatively correlated with the score of the sub-rlung scale(r=−0.376),slightly positively correlated with the sub-mkhris pa scale(r=0.099),and positively correlated with the sub-bad kan scale(r=0.362).Conclusion:The TMCS is a reliable and valid instrument that can be used to assess the body constitution of the general population in Beijing,China.Future studies are needed to explore the differences in biological characteristics among the constitutional types and the association between constitution and disease.

Analysis on Some of Software Reliability Models

Software reliability and maintainability evaluation tool (SRMET 3.0) is introducted in detail in this paper, which was developed by Software Evaluation and Test Center of China Aerospace Mechanical Corporation. SRMET 3.0 is supported by seven software reliability models and four software maintainability models. Numerical characteristics for all those models are deeply studied in this paper, and corresponding numerical algorithms for each model are also given in the paper.

Study on the Reliability Evaluation of Qualitative Indices in Multi-Objective Decision

Qualitative indices in multi-objective decision can usually be evaluated and measured by mathematical methods or models, but the obtained results are sometimes inaccurate because of fuzziness of indices. To improve the accuracy and reliability of the evaluation results, set-value statistic principle is applied, and accordingly four evaluation methods are obtained. Meanwhile, these methods are compared briefly.

The System Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Rock Slopes

The principal of preferred plane analysis is a new research view and model of rock slope engineering geology. It advocates that the rock slope stability, boundary conditions and failure model are controlled by preferred planes. Therefore, the problem of slope stability evaluation can be converted into the search for preferred planes and determination of preferred separating bodies. The organic combination of the deterministic model and the indeterministic model can be realized by applying the systems engineering principle and the research model and method of reliability analysis in the quantitative evaluation and prediction of rock slope stability. Finally, the paper presents the case studies of slopes of the Yangtze Gorge Project and the Ma'anshan openpit mine.

A GMRP Approach for Reliability Analysis of Repairable Systems

We propose here a mathematical approach for the study of repairable systems with arbitrary distributions. The idea is to define a new type of stochastic process, called a generalized Markov renewal process (GMRP). which may describe the transition behavior of the stochastic process at non-regenerative points. In the paper an analytical method for the GMRP is put forward and the formulas are then presented for reliability analysis of repairable systems which can be described by a GMRP with finite states. A signal flow graph technique for system modeling is also summarized here. Finally- an analytical model to evaluate the reliability of a m-out-of- n.G system with general repair-time distribution is developed by means of the GMRP approach.