Optimization of Maintenance Actions for a Multi-component Control System and for Planned Mission Duration

This paper deals with the automation system design by taking into account reliability and the maintenance activities. It discusses the determination of maintenance actions and optimization processes considering a cost criterion, and a specified level of dependability. For a given control system, in the design phase, the considered problem consists in determining the components which have to be preventively replaced, to be inspected or to be repaired. The choice of these actions is decided, on one hand, according to the available knowledge about the current system state, and on the other hand, according to an objective of reliability for the next mission period. This study is based on hierarchical model of the system that is used to deduce relationships between the state of components and the failure modes of the system. Several maintenance scenarios are considered in order to select one that meets, with the lowest costs, reliability constraints associated to the achievement of the next mission.