Approach to the generalized parameters formation of the complex technical systems technical condition using neural network structures

A variant of the generalized parameters process forming of the complex technical systems technical condition is considered. This approach is relevant for modern robotic systems equipped with built-in telemetry tools. The proposed approach to the generalized parameters formation is based on heterogeneous telemetry parameters weighted summation using information about structural and functional relationships in a complex technical system, followed by digital lowfrequency filtering of the weighted summation results. This solution makes it possible to increase the complex technical systems technical condition reliability assessment by the values of generalized parameters in the external control loop. The form of generalized parameter representation in the technical condition gradations, which corresponds to the normal functioning, emergency situations and complex technical system partially operational state, is chosen. A multilevel hierarchical model of the generalized parameters formation of the complex technical systems technical condition on the basis of telemeasurements based on a variety of neural network structures allowing to take into account the nonlinear nature of the parameters being telemetered and the mutual influence between them has been developed. The model uses a variety of digital low-frequency filters that reduce the level of disturbances in the generalized parameters time series. The occurrence of disturbances is associated with the uncertainty of changes in the values of the telemetered and generalized parameters near the tolerance limits set by experts with expanded gradations according to technical condition. Information about the limits of tolerances characterizes not only the situations of regular and non-standard functioning, but also the complex technical systems partially operational state. The results of the generalized parameters formation of the spacecraft onboard system technical condition using multilayer neural networks, Kolmogorov–Gabor polynomials and digital filtering methods are presented. The advantages of using multilayer neural networks and median filters in the developed model are shown. The use of generalized parameters will significantly reduce the information load on the transmission channels of telemetry information as well as the means of its processing and analysis in the external control loop. The proposed solutions based on the basic operations of weighted summation and nonlinear transformation can be effectively implemented on promising vector-matrix and tensor processors that support their execution at the hardware level

Structural reliability of electrical objects. Theory and examples of solving tasks

Structural reliability of energy objects is one of the most important topics of study in the study of specialty disciplines in the field of Power Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Electromechanics. Students in the specialty "Renewable Energy and High Voltage Engineering and Electrophysics" should have a clear understanding of the nature of structural redundancy issues, be able to evaluate the actual level of reliability through appropriate analysis and know the ways and means of ensuring trouble–free operation of power systems, subsystems and objects of renewable energy

The Application of the Hermeneutic Process to Qualitative Safety Data: A Case Study using Data from the CIRAS project

This article describes the new qualitative methodology developed for use in CIRAS (Confidential Incident Reporting and Analysis System), the confidential database set up for the UK railways by the University of Strathclyde. CIRAS is a project in which qualitative safety data are disidentified and then stored and analysed in a central database. Due to the confidential nature of the data provided, conventional (positivist) methods of checking their accuracy are not applicable; therefore a new methodology was developed - the Applied Hermeneutic Methodology (AHM). Based on Paul Ricoeur's `hermeneutic arc', this methodology uses appropriate computer software to provide a method of analysis that can be shown to be reliable (in the sense that consensus in interpretations between different interpreters can be demonstrated). Moreover, given that the classifiers of the textual elements can be represented in numeric form, AHM crosses the `qualitative-quantitative divide'. It is suggested that this methodology is more rigorous and philosophically coherent than existing methodologies and that it has implications for all areas of the social sciences where qualitative texts are analysed

Knowledge-based support in Non-Destructive Testing for health monitoring of aircraft structures

Maintenance manuals include general methods and procedures for industrial maintenance and they contain information about principles of maintenance methods. Particularly, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) methods are important for the detection of aeronautical defects and they can be used for various kinds of material and in different environments. Conventional non-destructive evaluation inspections are done at periodic maintenance checks. Usually, the list of tools used in a maintenance program is simply located in the introduction of manuals, without any precision as regards to their characteristics, except for a short description of the manufacturer and tasks in which they are employed. Improving the identification concepts of the maintenance tools is needed to manage the set of equipments and establish a system of equivalence: it is necessary to have a consistent maintenance conceptualization, flexible enough to fit all current equipment, but also all those likely to be added/used in the future. Our contribution is related to the formal specification of the system of functional equivalences that can facilitate the maintenance activities with means to determine whether a tool can be substituted for another by observing their key parameters in the identified characteristics. Reasoning mechanisms of conceptual graphs constitute the baseline elements to measure the fit or unfit between an equipment model and a maintenance activity model. Graph operations are used for processing answers to a query and this graph-based approach to the search method is in-line with the logical view of information retrieval. The methodology described supports knowledge formalization and capitalization of experienced NDT practitioners. As a result, it enables the selection of a NDT technique and outlines its capabilities with acceptable alternatives

Implementing Snow Load Monitoring to Control Reliability of a Stadium Roof

This contribution shows how monitoring can be used to control reliability of a structure not complying with the requirements of Eurocodes. A general methodology to obtain cost-optimal decisions using limit state design, probabilistic reliability analysis and cost estimates is utilised in a full-scale case study dealing with the roof of a stadium located in Northern Italy. The results demonstrate the potential of monitoring systems and probabilistic reliability analysis to support decisions regarding safety measures such as snow removal, or temporary closure of the stadium

Modeling social information skills

In a modern economy, the most important resource consists in\ud human talent: competent, knowledgeable people. Locating the right person for\ud the task is often a prerequisite to complex problem-solving, and experienced\ud professionals possess the social skills required to find appropriate human\ud expertise. These skills can be reproduced more and more with specific\ud computer software, an approach defining the new field of social information\ud retrieval. We will analyze the social skills involved and show how to model\ud them on computer. Current methods will be described, notably information\ud retrieval techniques and social network theory. A generic architecture and its\ud functions will be outlined and compared with recent work. We will try in this\ud way to estimate the perspectives of this recent domain

Reliability and fault tolerance in the European ADS project

After an introduction to the theory of reliability, this paper focuses on a description of the linear proton accelerator proposed for the European ADS demonstration project. Design issues are discussed and examples of cases of fault tolerance are given.Comment: 14 pages, contribution to the CAS - CERN Accelerator School: Course on High Power Hadron Machines; 24 May - 2 Jun 2011, Bilbao, Spai

Software safety : a definition and some preliminary thoughts

Software safety is the subject of a research project in its initial stages at the University of California Irvine. This research deals with critical real-time software where the cost of an error is high, e.g. human life. In this paper software techniques having a bearing on safety are described and evaluated. Initial definitions of software safety concepts are presented along with some preliminary thoughts and research questions