Inspection optimization of load-sharing systems

In this thesis, periodic inspection of a load-sharing k-out-of-n system has been studied to obtain the optimal inspection interval using the analytical and simulation approaches. The components of a load-sharing system are stochastically dependent, which makes the analysis of these systems more complex than those with independent components. In order to acquire the optimal inspection interval for the system, two models have been developed to study load-sharing systems with Tampered Failure Rate (TFR) and Cumulative Exposure (CE). The former considers only the current load of the components and the later accounts for the history of load. Various load intensities are examined to study the effects of this parameter on each model. It is observed that as the load intensity increases, the system needs more frequent inspections. The results also reveal that a system with the CE model requires a shorter inspection interval in comparison to that with the TFR model.