Composite Performance and Reliability Analysis Using Combinatorial Multistate Models (NOT PUBLISHED)

The need for the combined analysis of performance and reliability is gaining attention. The common approach to formulating and solving such problems is to use (semi-)Markov reward models. However, largeness of state spaces is a problem that plague Markovian models. Combinatorial models have been used for modeling reliability and availability of complex systems without paying the price of large Markov models. However, assumptions of independence and two-state behavior of components (and that of the system) preclude using combinatorial models for realistic systems.