Markov approach to early diagnostics, reliability assessment, residual life and optimal maintenance of pipeline systems

On the basis of constructed Markov models following methods are proposed: (1) a method for assessing the probability of failure (POF)/reliability of a single defective pipeline cross-section and of a pipeline as a distributed system; (2) a practical assessment of the gamma-percent residual life of pipeline systems (PS); (3) an adequate economic model for assessing the optimum time for performing the next inline inspection (ILI) or PS maintenance/repair, which minimizes maintenance expenditures; (4) method of estimating the information entropy generated by degradation of the defective pipeline cross-section. This permits establishing relations between different physical and probabilistic states of the PS and opens new possibilities for its early diagnostics and optimizing its maintenance.