Optimal sequential inspections of reliability systems subject to parallel-chain precedence constraints Original Research Article

This paper considers optimal sequencing of inspections in a model with precedence constraints. Suppose that a coherent reliability system has n independent components, each of which has a known prior probability of fault. The true state of each component can be determined by inspecting it for some cost. The true state of the system can be determined by sequentially inspecting its components, subject to precedence constraints. The problem addressed in this paper is to find an inspection policy that minimizes the total expected inspection cost. Optimal inspection strategies are presented for series and parallel systems and for certain k-out-of-n systems when there are parallel-chain precedence constraints among the possible component inspections.