An approximate analytical method of analysis of a threshold maintenance policy for a multiphase multicomponent model
Author
Anisimov, V. V.
Gürler, Ü.
Date
2003Source Title
Cybernetics and Systems Analysis
Print ISSN
1060-0396
Electronic ISSN
1573-8337
Publisher
Springer
Volume
39
Issue
3
Pages
325 - 337
Language
English
Type
ArticleItem Usage Stats
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Abstract
A multicomponent system is investigated that consists of n identical unreliable components whose nonfailure operating time consists of a number of sequential phases with exponential times. A maintenance policy is studied that proposes the instant replacement of all the components as soon as the number of components that are in some doubtful state (before a failure) amounts to a predefined threshold value. A cost function averaged over a large period is studied. For a fixed n, an analytical approach is considered. If n increases, a new approximate analytical approach is proposed, which is based on results of the type of the averaging principle for recurrent semi-Markovian processes. The conditions of existence and properties of the optimal strategy are studied. An example is considered and possibilities of generalizations are discussed.
Keywords
Approximation theoryMaintenance
Markov processes
Sequential switching
Threshold elements
Approximate analytical analysis
Multicomponent systems
Multistate components
Random failures
Recurrent processes of the semi-Markov type
Switching processes
Threshold maintenance policy
Multi agent systems