RELIABILITY PROBLEMS_RBD

2021

1. The block diagram depicted below must have a reliability of at least 90%. Check if this is
attainable and, if affirmative, calculate the minimum reliability of component F. The
reliabilities of the other components are:

R(A)=0.90; R(B)=0.40; R(C)=0.70; R(D)=0.20; R(E)=0.30;

D
IN OUT
B F

2. The block diagram depicted below must have a reliability of at least 95%. Check if this is
attainable and, if affirmative, calculate the minimum reliability of component F. The
reliabilities of the other components are:

R(A)=0.80; R(B)=0.50; R(C)=0.60; R(D)=0.20; R(E)=0.30;

D
IN OUT
B F

C
3. The block diagram depicted below is composed by 11 items whose reliabilities in the
present moment are as follows :

R(A)=0.30, R(B)=0.40; R(C)=0.10; R(D)=0.20; R(E)=0.50;

R(F)=0.40, R(G)=0.05; R(H)=0.20; R(I)=0.25; R(J)=0.15; R(K)=0.70

Calculate the block diagram reliability.

A D I

in B F J out

C H K

4. The block diagram depicted below is composed by 10 items whose reliabilities in the
present moment are as follows:

R(A)=0.30, R(B)=0.40; R(C)=0.10; R(D)=0.20; R(E)=0.50;

R(F)=0.40, R(G)=0.30; R(H)=0.20; R(I)=0.25, R(J)=0.15;

Calculate the block diagram reliability.

 A D G

E H

in B I out

C J

5. The indicated block diagram consists of two repairable systems (A and E) and four
components (B, C, D and F) that are part of the crane's starter. System A has a failure
rate that is considered to be constant at 0.00003 failures/start-up, with 500 starts having
passed since the last breakdown. System E has an MTBF (mean time between failures),
approximately constant, of 3000 hours, with the last failure occurring 500 hours ago.
Regarding the components, it is known that B has a life law represented by the Weibull
distribution with a shape factor equal to 1.9 and a scale parameter of 1500 starts, having
already made 400 starts; components C and D have normally distributed lives with of 300
hours and a standard deviation of 50 hours, with C having been in operation for 250 hours
and D for 320 hours. For component F, which was randomly selected from a batch, the
lower limit for 95% reliability was determined from a test of a sample of 15 units where 2
defective units were detected. Determine how likely the crane is to function at the next
start.
 A E

IN OUT
B D

C F

6. The indicated block diagram consists of three repairable systems (B, F and G) and four
components (A, C, D and E) that are part of the crane's starter. System B has a failure
rate that is considered to be constant at 0.00003 failure/start-up, having already passed
700 starts since the last breakdown. The F and G systems have an MTBF approximately
constant, of 3000 hours, with the last failure occurring 550 hours ago for the F system
and 700 hours ago for the G system. Regarding the components, it is known that A has
a life law represented by the Weibull distribution with a shape factor of 2.3 and a scale
parameter of 1500 starts, having already carried out 500 starts, whereas components C
and D have normally distributed lives with mean of 350 hours and a standard deviation of
50 hours, with C having been in operation for 280 hours and D for 440 hours. For
component E, which was selected randomly from a batch, the lower limit for 95% reliability
was determined from a test of a sample of 15 units where 1 defective unit was detected.
Determine how likely the crane is to function at the next start..

A F

D
IN OUT
B

C G

7. Make the simplified diagrams of the block diagram indicated below using the
decomposition method knowing that of the elements D, E and F at least two have to work
for the system to work. Calculate the maximum and minimum reliability of the complex
system as a function of the reliability of the elements J, K and L. Calculate also the
reliability of the elements J, K and L so that the reliability of the system is at least 40%
 subject to the following restrictions: of the three elements J, K and L, only one of them
can be more than 75% reliable and none of them can be less than 50% reliable.

The reliability of each component is as follows:

R(A)=0.35; R(B)=0.80; R(C)=0.70; R(D)=0.60; R(E)=0.50; R(F)=0.40; R(G)=0.80;
R(H)=0.70; R(I)=0.50;

8. Calculate the component M reliability in order to assure a minimum 60% reliability for the
block diagram depicted below. The reliabilities of the other components are:

R(A)=0.50; R(B)=0.70; R(C)=0.70; R(D)=0.80; R(E)=0.90; R(F)=0.90; R(G)=0.50;

R(H)=0.60; R(I)=0.80; R(J)=0.80; R(K)=0.50; R(L)=0.90; R(N)=0.30;

D J

A G L

E K
IN OUT
B H M

C I N
 9. Consider the following block diagram in which for the system to work it is necessary that
at least three of the four elements G, E, H and J work. The reliability of each component
is as follows:

R(A)=0.10; R(B)=0.75; R(C)=0.80; R(D)=0.95; R(F)=0.90; R(G)=0.85; R(H)=0.80

R(J)=0.95; R(K)=0.55

A G K
D

B E I

H
F
C J

a) Calculate the maximum and minimum reliability of the diagram shown.

b) Calculate the reliability of block I as a function of the reliability of block E in order to

guarantee a reliability to the presented block diagram of 60%.

10. Consider the system represented by the block diagram shown below. The probability of
the system working at the current time must be at least 85%. Check if this is possible
and, if so, calculate the minimum reliability of the H component. The reliability of the
remaining elements at the current time is shown below

R(A)=0.95; R(B)=0.90; R(C)=0.75; R(D)=0.80; R(E)=0.60; R(F)=0.75; R(G)=0.85;

R(I)=0.70
11. Consider the following block diagram with the reliability of each block indicated below
knowing that of the 4 elements C, D, E and F at least 3 have to work for the system to
work.

The reliability of the elements is:

R(A)=0.50; R(B)=0.70; R(C)=0.70; R(D)=0.80; R(E)=0.90; R(F)=0.90; R(H)=0.60;

R(I)=0.80; R(K)=0.50; R(L)=0.50; R(M)=0.80; R(N)=0.85; R(O)=0.60

A C H L

B D I M

E J N

F K O

a) Calculate the maximum and minimum reliability of the complex system as a function of
the reliability of elements G and J.
b) Calculate the reliability of the element G as a function of the reliability of the element J
so that the reliability of the system is, at least, any value chosen by you greater than zero.

12. Calculate the maximum and minimum reliability of the complex system as a function of
the reliability of the elements O and L knowing that of the 4 elements H, I, J and K at
least 3 have to work for the system to work. Calculate as well the reliability of element O
as a function of the reliability of element L so that the reliability of the system is, at least,
any value chosen by you greater than zero.

The reliability of the remaining elements is:

R(A)=0.50; R(B)=0.70; R(C)=0.70; R(D)=0.80; R(E)=0.90; R(F)=0.90; R(G)=0.50;
R(H)=0.60; R(I)=0.80; R(J)=0.80; R(K)=0.50; R(M)=0.10; R(N)=0.30; R(P)=0.30;
R(Q)=0.30;
 A C H N

B D I O

G L

E J P

F K Q

13. Observe the system represented by the block diagram shown below. For the system to
work at the current moment, it is mandatory that at least one of the blocks F and D is
operational. Consider the following reliability of the elements:

R(B)=0.90; R(C)=0.75; R(E)=0.75; R(G)=0.80; R(H)=0.85; R(I)=0.80

Component A has a normally distributed lifetime with mean and standard deviation of
350 and 75 hours, respectively. Component F has a lifetime given by the Weibull
distribution with a shape factor equal to 3 and a characteristic life equal to 550 hours.
Finally, component J presents a negative exponential life law with an MTTF of 300 hours.

I
A

E G

B OUT
IN

C F H J
 a) Calculate the current reliability of components A, F and J, indicating all steps and
knowing that all components started working 300 hours ago.

b) Determine the maximum and minimum system reliability at the current time.

c) Determine the reliability of component D so that the reliability of the system at the
current time is at least 60%.

d) Determine the reliability of the system at the current time assuming that the
reliability of component D is equal to 70% and that it is not possible to go backwards
from the IN to OUT path (eg the CFEDI sequence is not allowed).

14. Consider the system represented by the block diagram shown below, in which it is NOT
possible to backtrack, as well as the reliability of the elements.

R(B)=0.85; R(C)=0.75; R(D)=0.80; R(F)=0.90; R(G)=0.60; R((H)=0,50; R((I)=0,75;

R(J)=0.65

A H

D F OUT

B I
IN

C E J

a) Determine the maximum and the minimum system reliability.

b) Determine the reliability of block A as a function of the reliability of block E so that

the probability of the system working at the current time is at least 95%.
15 The block diagram depicted below must have a reliability of 85%. Check if this is
attainable, and if affirmative, calculate the minimum reliability of component G. The
reliabilities of the other components are:

R(A)=0.75; R(B)=0.90; R(C)=0.95; R(D)=0.95; R(E)=0.65; R(F)=0.70; R(H)=0.85.

A E

IN B OUT
G

C D F

16 Calculate the reliability of the following block diagram.

R(A)=0.75; R(B)=0.90; R(C)=0.90; R(D)=0.55; R(E)=0.80; R(F)=0.70; R(G)=0.90; R(H)=

0.80

E
A

B H

D G
17 Calculate the reliability of the following block diagram.

R(A)=0.70; R(B)=0.80; R(C)=0.50; R(D)=0.75; R(E)=0.90; R(F)=0.65; R(G)=0.90; R(H)=

0.90

B F H

A E

18 Calculate the reliability of the following block diagram.

R(A)=0.70; R(B)=0.80; R(C)=0.50; R(D)=0.75; R(E)=0.90; R(F)=0.65; R(G)=0.90; R(H)=

0.90; R(I)=0.95; R(J)=0.75

A J

IN B G OUT
E

C D F

H
19 Calculate the reliability of the following block diagram.

R(A)=0.60; R(B)=0.85; R(C)=0.70; R(D)=0.75; R(E)=0.95; R(F)=0.75; R(G)=0.70; R(H)= 0.70;

R(I)=0.85; R(J)=0.95

A I J

B E

C F

20 The block diagram depicted below must have a reliability of 85%. Check if this is
attainable, and if affirmative, calculate the minimum reliability of component B. The
reliabilities of the other components are:

R(A)=0.90; R(C)=0.60; R(D)=0.70; R(E)=0.65; R(F)=0.80; R(G)=0.90; R(H)=0.75

R(I)=0.50; R(J)=0.60; R(K)=0.95

A E J

B H K

C D

F G