Condition-based fault tree analysis (CBFTA): A new method for improved fault tree analysis (FTA), reliability and safety calculations

Condition-based maintenance methods have changed systems reliability in general and individual systems in particular. Yet, this change does not affect system reliability analysis. System fault tree analysis (FTA) is performed during the design phase. It uses components failure rates derived from available sources as handbooks, etc. Condition-based fault tree analysis (CBFTA) starts with the known FTA. Condition monitoring (CM) methods applied to systems (e.g. vibration analysis, oil analysis, electric current analysis, bearing CM, electric motor CM, and so forth) are used to determine updated failure rate values of sensitive components. The CBFTA method accepts updated failure rates and applies them to the FTA. The CBFTA recalculates periodically the top event (TE) failure rate (λ_TE) thus determining the probability of system failure and the probability of successful system operation-i.e. the system's reliability. FTA is a tool for enhancing system reliability during the design stages. But, it has disadvantages, mainly it does not relate to a specific system undergoing maintenance. CBFTA is tool for updating reliability values of a specific system and for calculating the residual life according to the system's monitored conditions. Using CBFTA, the original FTA is ameliorated to a practical tool for use during the system's field life phase, not just during system design phase. This paper describes the CBFTA method and its advantages are demonstrated by an example.