OPERATIONS RESEARCH METHODS IN SYSTEM RELIABILITY OPTIMIZATION

Abstract

In the modern world of perfect automations 'Reliability of systems plays an important role. Reliability as it means is the extent to which it can offer reliable service. The reliability thus is the central problem in all automatic system: e, g. space exploration, aviation, guided missiles etc. It has often been seen that the cost of introducing reliability in a system is much less than to use system which are initially less costly but lack reliability. The problem is thus to find out a compromise between the cost and reliability. Such problems are solved by mathematical programming techniques. Similar techniques are used here to maximize reliability and to minimize cost functions. In this thesis, the initial two chapters describe in brief what is Reliability and what are Mathematical programming techniques in operations Research. The introduction chapters deal with the history and development and the mathematics involved in it. The rest of the chapters discuss the various programming method used for the optimization of system reliability. These chapter cover the review of the important papers published. iv The last chapter is that of variational programming technique. This is the research work carried out to extend the present technique and apply in reliability problems having non-linearities. In chapter three, Dynamic programming•.techniques has been applied for the optimization of the system reliability. This is a very strong and widely used technique where in the use of computer is inevitable and also preferred. Chapter four deals with Integer programming applications to reliability. As the name suggests the need to allocate man machine or instrument as integers has been stressed. So the idea that allocations have to be integers poses certain problem which are discussed and method to overcome have been suggested. In chapter five, Branch and Bound technique is applied to system reliability optimization. It is a new technique and it is interesting to know its application in reliability. An easier example has been discussed to understand applications. Chapter six deals with Geometric programming technique and the application of Lawlers approach. The application of geometric programming technique is of theoretical importance due to fact that it gives only approximate solution. V However, one paper that of Fedrozowtc and Mazunder has been discussed. The seventh chapter is the extension of the present work on Variational programming techniques to non-linear functions.