04_Andrews_Bartlett_IMeCHE_E.pdf (212.43 kB)
Using statistically designed experiments for safety system optimization
This paper describes the method of statistically designed experiments (SDE's), used as a
structured method to investigate the best setting for a number of decision variables in a
system design problem. Traditionally, in the design of safety critical systems, a trial and
error type approach is undertaken to achieve a final system that meets the design
objectives. This approach can be time consuming and often only an adequate design is
found rather than the optimal design for the available resources. Optimal use of
resources should be imperative when possible lives are at risk. To demonstrate the
practicality of this new structured approach for optimising a safety system design, a high
integrity safety system has been used. Each design is analysed using the Binary Decision
Diagram analysis technique to establish the system unavailability, which is penalised if
the system constraints are exceeded. System constraints indicate the limitations on the resources which can be utilised. The SDE approach highlights good and bad settings for
possible design variables. This knowledge can then be used by more sophisticated search
techniques. The latter part of this paper analyses the results from the best design
generated using the SDE, for further optimisation using localised optimisation
approaches.
History
School
- Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering
Department
- Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering
Pages
164399 bytesCitation
BARTLETT, L.M. and ANDREWS, J.D., 2004. Using statistically designed experiments for safety system optimization. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E : Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering 218 (1), pp. 53-63Publisher
© IMechE / Professional Engineering PublishingPublication date
2004Notes
This article was published in the journal, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering [© Professional Engineering Publishing] and is also available at: http://pep.metapress.com/content/119780ISSN
0954-4089Language
- en