System Signatures and their Applications in Engineering Reliability

Since the introduction of system signatures in Francisco Samaniego’s 1985 paper, the properties of this technical concept have been examined, tested and proven in a wide variety of systems applications. Based on the practical and research success in building reliability into systems with system signatures, this is the first book treatment of the approach. It is, therefore, the purpose of this book to provide guidance on how reliability problems might be structured, modeled and solved. Over the past ten years the broad applicability of system signatures has become apparent and the tool’s utility in coherent systems and communications networks firmly established. The book compared actual system lifetimes where the tool has been and has not been used. These comparisons - which have been done over the years - demonstrate the practical, feasible and fruitful use of the tool in building reliable systems. Finally, new results and future directions for system signatures are also explored.

• calculus
• closure
• coherent system
• communication
• failure rate
• network
• optimality
• preservation
• reliability
• reliability economics
• stochastic ordering
• stochastic precedence
• structure function
• survival function
• system
• quality control, reliability, safety and risk

From the reviews:

"In this book, Professor Samaniego presents some classical results and recent advances related to the representations based on signatures. … By presenting the recent advances in a simple way that highlights their main applications, the book is accessible to the broad spectrum of researchers in reliability, including engineers, statisticians, operation researchers, and others. Thus the book is a basic tool for graduate students and researchers with interest in system reliability theory … ." (Jorge Navarro, Journal of the American Statistical Association, Vol. 103 (484), December, 2008)

"The reliability of coherent systems based on system signatures is considered. … Based on the practical and research success in building reliability into systems with system signatures, this is the first book treatment of the approach. … the purpose of this book to provide guidance on how reliability problems might be structured, modelled and solved." (Alex V. Kolnogorov, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1154, 2009)

"The first book on signatures and applications has now appeared. … this monograph is a first and brilliant attempt to present a coherent and unified version of results on reliability systems based on signatures. Its reading is recommended to anyone interested in engineering reliability." (Antonio Di Crescenzo, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2009 e)

• University of California, Davis, USA

  Francisco J. Samaniego

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