Performance index to quantify reliability using fuzzy subset theory

Abstract

The system performance is generally assessed through reliability. There are gaps in the quantification through probability. An alternate concept of performance index is proposed in the paper which is expected to permit the consideration of any number of graded states of a system or a subsystem states and laws to compute the performance index. The theory of fuzzy sets permits the mathematical models to be flexible and close to human thinking, assessment or interpretations. This helps considerably in decision making process as it brings human thinking very close to engineering system performance.