New Trends in System Reliability Evaluation

Future Trends. Reliability engineering for the future (G. Collas). New trends in system reliability evaluation (K.B. Misra). Towards Improved Techniques. Multiple variable inversion techniques (M. Veeraraghavan, K.S. Trivedi). Decomposition and reduction techniques (F. Beichelt). Probabilistic graph-reduction techniques (A.M. Shooman). Parallel algorithms and implementations (N. Deo, M. Medidi). Towards Improved Analyses. Reliability of k-out-of-n systems (A.M. Rushdi). Consecutive-k-out-of-n systems (S.G. Papastavridis, M.V. Koutras). Fault tree analysis (H. Kumamoto). Towards Better Tools. Digraphs and causal trees (T. Kohda, K. Inoue). Use of petri nets for system reliability evaluation (G.S. Hura). Towards Better Models. Human reliability modeling (J. Sharit). Common cause and dependent failure modeling (P. Hokstad). Software reliability modeling (T. Downs). Mechanical systems reliability modeling (S.S. Rao). Towards Alternative Approaches. Use of fuzzy sets theory (part-1: Theory) (K.B. Misra). Use of fuzzy sets theory (part II: Applications) (T. Onisawa, K.B. Misra). Dempster-Shafer theory and its applications (T. Inagaki). Towards Development of Non-Specialist's Aid. Expert systems for reliability evaluation (D.J. Russomanno, R.D. Bonnell, J.B. Bowles). Reliability analyzer (K.B. Misra). About the Editor. About the Contributors. Subject Index.

The subject of system reliability evaluation has never been so extensively and incisively discussed as in the present volume. The book fills a gap in the existing literature on the subject by highlighting the shortcomings of the current state-of-the-art and focusing on on-going efforts aimed at seeking better models, improved solutions and alternative approaches to the problem of system reliability evaluation. The book's foremost objective is to provide an insight into developments that are likely to revolutionize the art and science in the near future. At the same time it will help serve as a benchmark for the reader not only to understand and appreciate the newer developments but to profitably guide him in reorienting his efforts. This book will be valuable for people working in various industries, research organizations, particularly in electrical and electronics, defence, nuclear, chemical, space and communciation systems. It will also be useful for serious-minded students, teachers, and for the laboratories of educational institutions.