A periodic inspection and replacement policy for systems subject to competing failure modes due to degradation and traumatic events

• Published in: Reliability engineering & system safety Vol. 96; no. 4; pp. 497 - 508
• Main Authors: Huynh, K.T., Barros, A., Bérenguer, C., Castro, I.T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Block replacement; Condition monitoring; Decision theory. Utility theory; Decisions; Devices; Dynamic environment; Engineering Sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Failure; Fracture mechanics (crack, fatigue, damage...); Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Gamma process; Industrial metrology. Testing; Inspection; Maintenance; Maintenance costs; Maintenance policy; Mathematics; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Non-homogeneous Poisson Process; Operational research and scientific management; Operational research. Management science; Other; Periodic inspection/replacement; Physics; Policies; Probability; Quantitative Finance; Reliability theory. Replacement problems; Risk Management; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics; DTS; P-I/R; Non-homogeneous Poisson Process; B-R; Maintenance policy; Gamma process; Block replacement; Periodic inspection/replacement; TBM; CBM; Dynamic environment; Inspection policy; Decision support system; Decision making; Replacement problem; Rupture; Maintenance cost; Replacement; Homogeneous process; Failures; Modeling; Poisson process; Gamma distribution; System maintenance; Dependence; Monitoring; non-homogeneous Poisson Process; maintenance policy; dynamic environment; periodic inspection/replacement; block replacement
• ISSN: 0951-8320; 1879-0836
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2010.12.018

This paper deals with the condition-based maintenance of single-unit systems which are subject to the competing and dependent failures due deterioration and traumatic shock events. The main aim is to provide a model to assess the value of condition monitoring information for the maintenance decision-making. A condition-based periodic inspection/replacement policy is developed and compared with a benchmark time-based block replacement policy. Numerical results show that it is indeed useful to follow closely the actual evolution of the system to adapt the maintenance decisions to the true system state to improve the performance of maintenance policies. The analysis of the maintenance costs savings can be used to justify or not the choice to implement a policy based on condition monitoring information and to invest in condition monitoring devices.