An approach to assessing the reliability of mechanical components, especially for pressure vessels and piping, is proposed in which the vagueness and fuzziness in variables have been considered. In this method, a fuzzy-random reliability model is developed by using a fuzzy-set theory. This particular theory can be described as a generalization of the classical set theory. Using a fuzzy-set theory, a failure event is defined in a more flexible form than usual. In particular, the concept of nonfuzzy probability of fuzzy events is used to derive a reliability approach which includes the subjectivity of human judgement. Meanwhile, a constructive way for generating a membership function of a fuzzy set is also provided in the paper.

Issue Section:
Research Papers
Topics:
Reliability, Failure, Pipes, Pressure vessels, Probability, Set theory
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