Title: A methodology to determine maintenance criticality using Dempster-Shafer theory

Authors: Ankur Bahl; Anish Sachdeva; Rajiv Kumar Garg

Addresses: Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar 144001, Punjab, India; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar 144411, Punjab, India ' Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar 144001, Punjab, India ' Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar 144001, Punjab, India

Abstract: This study deals with the development of a methodology for maintenance policy selection by assimilating the various factors as an alternative to traditional failure mode effect analysis. This methodology is based upon Dempster-Shafer theory (DST) of evidence which helps the plant managers/engineers to contrive an efficacious priority rating of various items of equipment/components under conditions of epistemic uncertainty considering the various parameters. A case study of a distillery plant is undertaken for selection of a suitable maintenance policy for the various items of equipment/components of the plant using the proposed methodology.

Keywords: Dempster-Shafer theory; epistemic uncertainty; evidence theory; FMEA; maintenance policy selection.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRS.2017.089705

International Journal of Reliability and Safety, 2017 Vol.11 No.3/4, pp.182 - 199

Received: 28 Jun 2017
Accepted: 15 Nov 2017

Published online: 07 Feb 2018 *

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