Fault Tree Construction

Adding New Gates and Events

Fault trees are constructed simply by adding gates and events directly into the fault tree diagram edit area. As gates and events
are added to a fault tree diagram, RWB automatically positions the diagram symbols, allowing the user to concentrate on
building the correct logical structure.

To start a new fault tree , select the Add, New Top Gate pull-down menu option. A single TOP gate will be displayed in the right
window (with the Diagram button selected above the window). Once a TOP gate is created the fault tree diagram may be
modified directly from the diagram edit area.

To add new gates and events to the initial TOP gate, select either the Add, Gate to Diagram or Add, Event to Diagram pull-
down menu options or equivalent toolbar buttons. After selecting either of these options, you will notice that the cursor will
change its shape when moved into the diagram edit area. The shape of the cursor indicates that the program is in ‘Add Gate’ or
‘Add Event’ mode. Whilst in either of these two modes, new gates and events may be added to the fault tree diagram by clicking
the left mouse button with the cursor placed over an existing gate symbol. A gate or event will then be added below the selected
symbol. As inputs are added to a TRANSFER gate symbol (no inputs), the gate symbol will be automatically modified to a NULL
gate (one input) and then an OR gate (more than one input). These gate types may later be modified using the Edit, Properties
pull-down menu option.

If you wish to repeat existing gates or events in different parts of the fault tree, this may be achieved by using the right mouse
button whilst in ‘Add Gate’ or ‘Add Event’ mode. Clicking the right mouse button over a gate symbol will reveal a dialog listing
existing gate or event names and their descriptions. You may then select an existing gate or event to be added as an input to the
target gate in the fault tree.

The user may exit from ‘Add’ mode by selecting the Add, Clear Add Mode pull-down menu option or equivalent toolbar button.
Alternatively, selecting another menu option will have the same result. On leaving ‘Add’ mode, the cursor returns to a pointer
within the diagram edit area.

Gate and Event Symbols

The program uses internationally recognized gate and event symbols. The gate symbols are listed below, together with their
causal relations. Note that the NULL gate type is not included in this list. NULL gates (which have a single input only) have no
effect on the logic of the fault tree. They are used to allow additional descriptions to be added to the fault tree for system events.

Symbol Name Causal Relation Valid No of

Inputs
OR Output event occurs if any one of the input
events occurs

AND Output event occurs if all input events occur

MAJORITY Output event occurs if m of the input events

VOTE occur

EXCLUSIVE Output event occurs if only one of the input

OR events occurs

INHIBIT Output event occurs if both input events 2

occur. One of the inputs represents a
conditional event

PRIORITY Output event occurs if all input events occur

AND in sequential order from left to right
 NOT Output event occurs if the input event does 1
not occur

Note that RWB provides the option of displaying additional symbols that conform to the British 5760 (Part 7) and IEC 1025
standards. These additional symbols will only be displayed if the Use IEC symbols in diagrams option is selected in the
Project Options dialog (View tab).
The event symbols used by RWB are illustrated below, together with their meanings.

Symbol Name Meaning

System or component event description

BASIC Basic event for which failure and repair

data is available

UNDEVELOPED Represents a system event that is yet to

be developed

CONDITIONAL Similar to basic event but represents a

conditional probability connected to an
inhibit gate
HOUSE Represents definitely operating or
definitely not operating events

DORMANT Similar to basic event but indicates that the

event represents a dormant failure

TRANSFER Indicates that this part of the fault tree is

developed in a different part of the diagram
or on a different page

Editing Gates and Events

Gate symbols may be selected using the left mouse button, followed by choosing the Properties option on the Edit pull-down
menu or equivalent toolbar option. Alternatively, double-click the left mouse button with the cursor over the gate symbol. This
action results in the program displaying the Gate Properties dialog for the selected gate. Events may also have their attributes
revealed by double-clicking on the event symbol in the diagram edit area.

Fault Tree Pagination

As the fault tree increases in size, you may wish to split up the tree into pages. This may be done by setting the Page check-box
on in the Gate Properties dialog. Gates with the page flag set on will appear in the fault tree diagram at the top of the visible
tree, or as transfer symbols. Paged transfer symbols have a rectangle drawn around the symbol in the tree diagram. You may
navigate between pages using the fault tree combo-box in the toolbar area or by selecting the Page Up or Page Down options
on the Diagram pull-down menu.

Adding Labels, Notes and Hyperlinks to a Fault Tree

Labels, notes and hyperlinks may be placed in a diagram using the appropriate option on the Add pull-down menu. After
selecting this option you will notice that the cursor will change its shape when moved into the diagram edit area. The shape of
the cursor indicates that the program is in ‘Add Label, Notes or Hyperlink’ mode. Whilst in this mode, a new label, note or
hyperlink may be added to the fault tree diagram by clicking the left mouse button with the cursor positioned within the diagram
edit area, outside of any existing gates or events. The top left of the new label will be placed at the cursor position. The user may
exit from ‘Add’ mode by selecting the Add, Clear Add Mode pull-down menu option or equivalent toolbar button.

To modify the properties of a label, note or hyperlink double-click the left mouse button whilst the cursor is over the symbol in the
diagram. Note that to enable selection of a hyperlink for editing its properties (rather than activating a hyperlink) you will need to
first select the Diagram, Enable Hyperlink Edit pull-down menu option.

Notes and hyperlink information may also be associated directly with gates and events in the fault tree diagram (they are set in
the Gate or Primary Event Properties dialog). Notes or hyperlink information linked to a gate or event will be automatically
displayed as the mouse cursor moves over the symbol in the fault tree diagram if the relevant Pop-up text option has been set
in the Project Options dialog (View tab).
Fault Tree Copy Facilities
The RWB cut, copy and standard paste facilities are used to transfer or copy the identical logical structure to another part of the
fault tree. Gate IDs and event IDs will be identical to the original IDs when a standard paste operation is performed. Copy and
standard paste operations will therefore result in the same gates and events being repeated in different parts of the fault tree.
There is, however, a special paste facility available that reproduces the clipboard fault tree structure but changes some or all the
IDs of gates and events before transferring the clipboard contents to the project. All new gates and events will be given unique
IDs based on the original ID of the gate or event in the clipboard. Only the IDs of new gates and events will change, with all other
properties remaining identical to the original. The special paste operation may be activated by selecting the Edit, Paste Special
pull-down menu option.

Note that the cut and paste operations may result in the target gate type being automatically modified by the program due to the
change in the number of resulting inputs to a gate. For example, if one of two inputs is ‘cut’ from an OR gate the gate type is
changed to type NULL (with one input).

If you copy a fault tree structure and then paste this structure to another part of the project (using 'Paste Special’), you will be
given the option of selecting one or more gates and events as common events. These common events will not have their IDs
changed.

In the example below, a 'Paste Special' operation is performed by first copying the gate SYS1 to the clipboard and then pasting
this tree to another part of the project (using the Paste Special menu option). If the user selects gates ELECA and ELECB as
common events (the IDs should not be changed) then the resulting new tree is drawn as shown (note that gate and event IDs
have been automatically changed except for ELECA and ELECB).

System fault tree to be copied

New system fault tree created after special paste operation

Deleting Symbols
Fault and event tree symbols may be deleted from a diagram in the edit area directly. Selection of a gate or event symbol in a
fault tree diagram, followed by selecting the Delete option in the Edit pull-down menu (or pressing the delete key), will delete the
symbol. Labels may also be deleted from diagrams in a similar manner. Note that when gate or event symbols in a fault tree are
deleted in this manner, they are removed as an input from the gate above and also deleted from the gate or event tables if they
do not appear anywhere else in the project fault or event trees. If they do appear elsewhere, they will only be deleted from the
gate or event tables if either the Disable deletion dependency checks flag is set on or Delete selection and below in fault
trees flag is set on in the Project Options dialog (General tab). If you wish to remove a gate or event as an input to another
gate, but do not wish to delete its definition, then you should use the Remove Input option on the Special Functions pull-down
menu.

A whole section of a fault tree may be deleted by first selecting a gate in the fault tree diagram and then selecting the Special
Functions, Delete Selection and Below pull-down menu option. After selecting this option, RWB will first display all gates and
events that are about to be deleted and then provide the user with an option to cancel the operation. This facility deletes the
selected gate and all gates and events connected below it, except for those gates and events appearing in other parts of the
project fault trees. Also, events appearing in event trees will not be deleted.

RWB also provides a facility to delete hidden data. This facility should be used with caution as large portions of project data may
be deleted. Make a backup copy of your project (using the Save Project As option on the File pull-down menu) before
performing a hidden data deletion. The delete hidden data facility is accessed by selecting one of the Special Functions, Delete
Hidden FT Structure pull-down menu options. Three options are available :

• All non-visible
• All non-visible disconnected
• All non-visible except below

To delete all gates and events that are not currently displayed on the screen, select the All Non-Visible pull-down menu option.
To delete all gates and events except those logically connected to the visible tree (including gates above the displayed TOP
event), select the All Non-Visible Disconnected pull-down menu. To delete all gates and events except those logically
connected below the displayed tree, select the All Non-Visible Except Below pull-down menu option.