• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.596-604
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• 2001

This paper quantitatively presents the effects of important factors of the probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) of safety-critical digital systems. The result which is quantified using fault tree analysis methodology shows that these factors remarkably affect the system safety. In this paper we list the factors which should be represented by the model for PSA. Based on the PSA experience, we select three important factors which are expected to dominate the system unavailability. They are the avoidance of common cause failure, the coverage of fault tolerant mechanisms and software failure probability. We Quantitatively demonstrate the effect of these three factors. The broader usage of digital equipment in nuclear power plants gives rise to the safety problems. Even though conventional PSA methods are immature for applying to microprocessor-based digital systems, practical needs force us to apply it because the result of PSA plays an important role in proving the safety of a designed system. We expect the analysis result to provide valuable feedback to the designers of digital safety- critical systems.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.1616-1629
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• 2023

To quantify the conservatism of existing ASME strain-based evaluation methods for seismic loading, this paper presents very low cycle fatigue test data of elbows under various cyclic loading conditions and comparison of evaluation results with experimental failure cycles. For strain-based evaluation methods, the method presented in ASME BPVC CC N-900 and Sec. VIII are used. Predicted failure cycles are compared with experimental failure cycle to quantify the conservatism of evaluation methods. All methods give very conservative failure cycles. The CC N-900 method is the most conservative and prediction results are only ~0.5% of experimental data. For Sec. VIII method, the use of the option using code tensile properties gives ~3% of experimental data, and the use of the material-specific reduction of area can reduce conservatism but still gives ~15% of experimental data.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.207-217
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• 2020

Slope reliability analysis and risk assessment for spatially variable soils under rainfall infiltration are important subjects but they have not been well addressed. This lack of study may in part be due to the multiple and diverse evaluation indexes and the low computational efficiency of Monte-Carlo simulations. To remedy this, this paper proposes a highly efficient computational method for investigating random field problems for slopes. First, the probability density evolution method (PDEM) is introduced. This method has high computational efficiency and does not need the tens of thousands of numerical simulation samples required by other methods. Second, the influence of rainfall on slope reliability is investigated, where the reliability is calculated from based on the safety factor curves during the rainfall. Finally, the uncertainty of the sliding mass for the slope random field problem is analyzed. Slope failure consequences are considered to be directly correlated with the sliding mass. Calculations showed that the mass that slides is smaller than the potential sliding mass (shallow surface sliding in rainfall). Sliding mass-based risk assessment is both needed and feasible for engineered slope design. The efficient PDEM is recommended for problems requiring lengthy calculations such as random field problems coupled with rainfall infiltration.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.19 no.4 s.68
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• pp.36-41
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• 2004

This paper presents an qualitative assessment for hazard on the electric power installations of a construction field using FMEL The power installations have the mission to maintain the highest level of service reliability on the works. The more capital the electric power invest the higher service reliability they plausibly will achieve. However, because of limited resources, how effectively budgets can be allocated to achieve service reliability as high as possible. The assessment typically generates recommendations for increasing component reliability, thus improving the power installation safety. The FMEA tabulates the failure modes of components and how their failure affects the power installations being considered. Tn order to estimate the risks of a failures, the FMEA presents criticality estimation or risk priority number using the severity, occurrence, and detectability. The results showed that the highest components of the risk priority number among components were condenser, transformer, MCCB and LA. And In case of the criticality estimation, the potential failure modes were abnormal temperature rise, insulation oil leakage, deterioration for the transformer, overcurrent for the MCCB and operation outage fir the LA.

• Journal of Applied Reliability
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.260-270
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the life of the capsule, which is a core part of the heat storage cooling system. This paper will develop a life test mode that can reproduce environment conditions through the analysis of capsule shrinkage and expansion characteristics. Methods: In order to determine the life test mode of the capsule, this paper analyzed the case of field failures and analyzed the deformation characteristics according to the pressure fluctuation of the capsule. The method to find out whether the field failure and deformation analysis results are consistent is the testing with the construction of the repetition pressure test equipment and the thermal cycle test to reproduce the freezing and thawing characteristics. Results: In this study, failure mode analysis and analysis of freezing and thawing characteristics regarding to the capsule positions were completed. Based on this test & analysis results, this paper have been able to determine the main parameters for determining the life test mode, the freezing and thawing time. Conclusion: Determining the lifetime mode of the capsule can be used to improve the life and performance of the thermal storage system.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.24-29
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• 2006

Pressurized gas pipelines are subject to harmful effects from both the surrounding environment and the materials passing through them. Reliable assessment procedures, including fracture mechanics analyses, are required to maintain their integrity. Currently, integrity assessments are performed using conventional deterministic approaches, even though there are many uncertainties to hinder rational evaluations. Therefore, in this study, a probabilistic approach was considered for gas pipeline evaluations. The objectives were to estimate the failure probability of a corroded pipeline in the gas and oil industries and to propose limited operating conditions for different types of loadings. To achieve these objectives, a probabilistic assessment program was developed using a reliability index and simulation techniques, and applied to evaluate the failure probabilities of a corroded API-5L-X52 gas pipeline subjected to internal pressures, bending moments, and combined loadings. The results demonstrated the potential of the probabilistic integrity assessment program.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.719-729
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• 2017

A considerable research is available on the seismic response of Reinforced Concrete (RC) shear wall-frame buildings, but the studies on the reliability of such buildings, with the consideration of human error, are limited. In the present study, a detailed procedure for reliability assessment of RC shear wall-frame building subjected to earthquake loading against serviceability limit state is presented. Monte Carlo simulation was used for the reliability assessment. The procedure was implemented on a 10-story RC building to demonstrate that the shear walls improve the reliability substantially. The annual and life-time failure probabilities of the studied building were estimated by employing the information of the annual probability of earthquake occurrence and the design life of the building. A simple risk-based cost assessment procedure that relates both the structural life-time failure probability and the target reliability with the total cost of the building was then presented. The structural failure probability (i.e., the probability of exceeding the allowable drift) considering human errors was also studied. It was observed that human error in the estimation of total load and/or concrete strength changes the reliability sharply.

• Journal of Drive and Control
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2024

The yaw gearbox is a key device in a wind power generator that improves power generation efficiency by rotating hundreds of tons (400 to 600 tons) of nacelle so that the blade reaches 90 degrees in the wind direction. Recently, installation sites have been advancing from land to sea as they have become super-large at (8-12) MW to increase the economic feasibility of wind power generators and utilize excellent wind resources, and the target life of large wind power generators is 25 to 30 years. The yaw gearbox of 6 to 12 sets is installed in a very complex place inside the nacelle on the tower with parallels, and it is important to secure the reliability of the yaw gearbox because if a failure occurs after installation, it costs tens to hundreds of times the price of a new product to restore. In this study, equivalent loads were calculated by analyzing failure mode and field data, accelerated life test conditions were established, and a test device was constructed to perform the accelerated life tests and performance tests to ensure the reliability of the gearbox.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.54-62
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• 2017

This paper describes the behavior and failure probability of the basic structural members in a fire for the fire safety assessment of offshore structures. A fire safety assessment can be accomplished by comparing the fire resistance of the members with the fire severity of the heat load due to fire. The fire severity is represented as the maximum temperature of the members using the Eurocode 1 standard fire curve and heat transfer equation. On the other hand, the fire resistance is the limiting temperature calculated by a simplified formula in the case of simple structural members. Considering the complexity of FPSOs and offshore structures, a general-purpose structural analysis program should be used and the limiting temperature obtained by analyzing the structural strength of the members through an elasto-plastic analysis with a large deflection, and compared with the maximum temperature. Also, the equality of these two methods of evaluating the fire resistance was confirmed by comparing them. Following three criteria, the strength, serviceability and stability, three failure modes, namely the first failure of a hinge, large deflection and buckling, were chosen. The failure temperature was verified for each failure mode. using the AFOSM method in the equation of the fire severity and fire resistance, thereby giving the failure probability of the member. By applying these processes to the example of a beam and plate, the behavior of the structure and failure (temperature?) of each failure mode can be determined.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.78-88
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• 2012

Previous construction failure researches were focused on the utilization plan based on failure information and development of failure classification. However, it has limitation to set up the plan for prevention of construction failure due to the lack of the number of on-site staffs. In order to prevent effectively construction failure, a prevention plan should be established through quantitative evaluation of failure causes. The purpose of this study is to suggest the assessment method for selection Critical Management Factor(CMF) and to analyze the CMF on the apartment structural framework using FMEA(Failure Mode and Effective Analysis) which is one of the methods of quantitative evaluation. The element of risk evaluation separated degree of failure risk and prevention respectively. The assessment method for selection of CMF can be utilized for planning proactive solutions on the failure, and it can be also selected critical factors about each project phases, type of facility and construction work.