Probability-Based Optimization

Abstract

For design methods based on formative or elementary reliability requirements, the target probabilities of occurrence of adverse events, that is, values P _At and P _Bt (Section 8.2), or values P _ait and P _bjt (Section 8.3), have to be found. Two approaches can be employed:

• (a) the individual target probabilities can be derived from a given target failure probability, P _ft ; when this approach is used, the resulting lower level target probabilities, either formative or elementary, are, at the respective level, mathematically dependent;

• (b) the lower level target probabilities can be established independently, one by one, applying the same type of approaches as those used for the target failure probability P _ft (see Section 10.3).