Citation

Gray JNP. Reliab. Eng. 1985; 11(4): 233-252.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1985, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0143-8174(85)90033-2

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The use of continuous-time Markov matrix methods in the prediction of reliability for parallel active and redundant subgroups of identical components, subject to negative exponential failure and repair distributions, is described. Decomposition of parallel subgroups in the assessment of reliability for systems of greater complexity, using solutions obtained by these methods, is considered in terms of the single-element equivalent of such subgroups.

Also, the difficulty associated with non-exponential failure of the single-element equivalent is addressed. Finally, the technique is generalised by varying initial conditions to enable phased mission reliability problems to be considered.