A Monte Carlo simulation to determine minimal cut sets and system reliability

The authors describe an approach using Monte Carlo simulation from the reliability block diagram and the life distribution of each component. The minimal path sets are determined by tracing through the system from the input to the output components of the reliability diagram in a random manner. The system fails when all minimal path sets are broken. The components that fail prior to the system failure constitute a cut set. The frequencies of the minimal cut sets are tallied during the simulation to show their distribution. The system mean time to failure is calculated, the system failtime distribution is tabulated, and the cumulative failure rates are determined