Discrete Markov chains

Abstract

Chapter 7 described and illustrated several analytical techniques for evaluating the reliability of systems. Although these techniques can be applied to both non-repairable and repairable systems, in the latter case they assume that the repair process is instantaneous or negligible compared with the operating time. This is an inherent restriction and additional techniques are required if this assumption is not valid. One very important technique that overcomes this problem and which has received considerable attention and use during the past few years is known as the Markov approach or Markov modelling. Several excellent texts [4, 25–27] are available on the subject of the application of Markov chains to reliability analysis.