FACILITATE DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF FAULT TREES

WORKSTATION AND EXPERT SYSTEM TECHNOLOGIES HAVE A POTENTIAL OF SUBSTANTIALLY FACILITATING THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATIONOF FAULT TREES. INTRODUCING A WORKSTATION PHILOSOPHY WITH AN INTERACTIVE SET OF INTEGRATED SOFTWARE TOOLS ON A LOCAL COMPUTER WILL PROMOTE IMPROVED CONTINUITY IN THE THOUGHT PROCESS DURING A FAULT TREE DEVELOPMENT. THE EXPERT SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY WILL SIMPLIFY THE WAY FAULT TREES ARE SPECIFIED AND IT WILL ALLOW THE INCORPORATION OF VARIOUS KINDS OF PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE. THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES WILLENHANCE THE ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY PRODUCE HIGH QUALITY FAULT TREES AND IMPROVE THE INSIGHT INTO THE PLANT FAILURE \MODES. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE RESEARCH DESCRIBED IN THIS PRO POSAL IS TO SHOW THE VALIDITY OF THESE CLAIMS BY DEVELOPING A DEMONSTRATION SYSTEM.