Background
The course belongs to the large envelope of RAMS courses which are thought at the department of Production and Quality Engineering at NTNU. The course is adminstred by the RAMS group at this department. It is expected that the students have taken (or have relevant background corresponding to):
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This course replaces the earlier arrangement with two specialization modules in RAMS, one in risk and reliability and one in maintenance optimization (each with 3.75 credit points). In a transition period, TPK 5170 will include some subjects from both of these subject areas: risk/reliability assessment and maintenance optimization. It may be important to note that
- This course is now a regular course like any other master courses, and it may not be possible that all students will be able to see a close relationship with their specialization project and the lectured topics (which was easier to ensure with the old system with specialization modules).
- You may consider this course as the last fill in of new topics and extensions, and it corresponds to what we in the RAMS group think you should have in your "knowledge & skills" suitcase when you leave NTNU with a specialization in RAMS.
The responsible person for TPK 5170 in the fall of 2014 is Professor Mary Ann Lundteigen. She will give approximately 60% of the lectures. Since this is a specialization course, some "specialists" are brought in for specific topics. For example, Associate Professor Yiliu Liu will lecture methods like PetriNets. Lectures that belong to the topic maintenance optimization are planned to be lectures by Professor Jørn Vatn, and the new Professor Anne Barros who starts from September 1st.
Now, the course is a stand-alone course that does not cover the previous content of the two specialization modules. It is therefore important to emphasize that the course is a regular master course, required in relation to taking a master in RAMS, but should not be regarded as a specialization course that support all types of student projects in the RAMS area.
About the course
The course is a continuation of reliability, availability, maintenance, and safety (RAMS) methods with special emphasis methods applicable for assessment of critical systems. Topics to be covered for safety-critical systems are: How to define requirements for safety systems and barriers, and how to assess the reliability of safety instrumented systems with background in IEC 61508 and related standards. This includes SIL allocation, alternative models for reliability modeling beyond what was covered in TPK 4120, including alternative strategies for treatment of common cause failures, alternative test strategies, and trade off between safety and regularity. Topics to be covered for critical systems in general are models for optimizing maintenance and intervention, including age, block, and minimal repair policies. Simple models for spare part inventory assessment and some degradation models for condition-based maintenance are also included.
Course material
The course is using the following book: httpsI mentioned that TPK 5170 is in a transition period. The course may, from the fall of 2015, change the name to "Asset management methods". A new course in "Reliability of safety-critical systems" ("SIS course") will at the same time be introduced (from spring 2015). Topics related to reliability assessment will be transferred to the new ("SIS") course, and it is planned that TPK 5170 with its new profile will expand on topics related to maintenance optimization and the estimation of remaining useful life. The changes will be available http://www.ntnu.edu/studies/courses, once implementedross/books/sis, with the support of some standards, reports, and articles as appropriate.
Course objective and motivation
The main objective of this course is to increase the depth of understanding about RAMS assessment and optimization models and methods. Such models and methods may be useful for several purposes, including:
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As already mentioned, the course aims to study already lectured methods and models in more detail, to add more perspectives to the understanding. Some new models methods are also introduced so that the students, after having taken the course, will have a solid toolbox of models and methods to use in their future work career. The lectured methods may also be used in the master project in the last semester.
Expected learning outcome
Knowledge:
Obtain a more thorough understanding of the Basic insight into the theoretical foundation and the practical applications of RAMS assessment and optimization methods. , applied on critical (usually, safety-critical) systems
Skills:
Being able to identify suitable frameworks, methods, and software and to use these to solve RAMS assessment and optimization tasks Recognizing standard situations related to reliability assessment of safety-critical systems, and be able to develop reasoning for more complicated situations. Solve optimization problems in practice. Assess RAMS performance for systems.
General competence:
Understand RAMS as an important cornerstone of industrial and commercial systems and in the public administration.
Other information
There will be mandatory course work, and the exam is written (4 hours, simple calculator)
Industry relevance
Reliability assessments of safety-critical systems are key services provided by many consultancy companies, such as with Safetec, Lloyd's Register Consulting, and DNV-GL (link to the GL-part of the services), and Lilleaker Consulting. Manufacturers like ABB, Siemens, AkerSolutions, FMC, Kongsberg Maritime and many others need to design systems in light of reliability requirements, and also demonstrate (sometimes with assistance of the consultancy companies) that the reliability requirements are met. End users, like railway service providers like Jernbaneverket, oil companies like Statoil, Det Norske, GDF-Suez, Shell and Conoco-Phillips, and Wintershall, and other industries like smelting plants and water power suppliers must be competent to select proper system design, follow up the system performance and select the most suitable maintenance strategies to keep costs and safety within the accepetable limits.