An Efficient Algorithm for Reducing the Complexity of Computation in Fault Tree Analysis

1 January 1976

journal article
Published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

Vol. 23 (5) , 1442-1446
https://doi.org/10.1109/tns.1976.4328508

Abstract

This paper presents a new algorithm for efficiently generating the minimal cut-sets of a fault tree containing repetitions of basic events. The algorithm is easily performed by hand and substantially reduces both execution time and storage requirements, over the classical technique, when programmed. The savings are accomplished by recognizing and recursively reducing the influence of the repetitive events. The theoretical basis of the algorithm is presented and examples from the recent literature, used to demonstrate its efficiency. Finally, the computational complexity is discussed and rules presented for simplifying the tree before the computations begin.

Keywords

This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:

Fault Tree Analysis
Published by Wiley ,2004
Fault TreesߞA State of the Art Discussion
IEEE Transactions on Reliability, 1974
Fault Tree Analysis with Probability Evaluaticn
IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 1971