In Engineering theory and applications, we think and operate in terms of
logics and models with some acceptable and reasonable assumptions. The
present text is aimed at providing modelling and analysis techniques for
the evaluation of reliability measures (2-terminal, all-terminal,
k-terminal reliability) for systems whose structure can be described in
the form of a probabilistic graph. Among the several approaches of
network reliability evaluation, the multiple-variable-inversion
sum-of-disjoint product approach finds a well-deserved niche as it
provides the reliability or unreliability expression in a most efficient
and compact manner. However, it does require an efficiently enumerated
minimal inputs (minimal path, spanning tree, minimal k-trees, minimal
cut, minimal global-cut, minimal k-cut) depending on the desired
reliability. The present book covers these two aspects in detail through
the descriptions of several algorithms devised by the "reliability
fraternity" and explained through solved examples to obtain and evaluate
2-terminal, k-terminal and all-terminal network
reliability/unreliability measures and could be its USP. The
accompanying web-based supplementary information containing modifiable
Matlab(R) source code for the algorithms is another feature of this
book.
A very concerted effort has been made to keep the book ideally suitable
for first course or even for a novice stepping into the area of network
reliability. The mathematical treatment is kept as minimal as possible
with an assumption on the readers' side that they have basic knowledge
in graph theory, probabilities laws, Boolean laws and set theory.
