0000000000092301

AUTHOR

Joaquín Izquierdo Sebastián

Prioritization of maintenance actions in water distribution systems

[EN] Industrial water distribution systems are paramount in many manufacturing systems to optimise the related industrial plant availability and consequently the level of production. They also play an important part in keeping right standards of hygiene of workplaces and machines. A strategic action of planning and implementing of suitable maintenance activities is necessary to assure the standards previously described. The present contribution proposes the prioritization of maintenance actions for industrial water distribution systems through a multi-criteria decision making approach, since some of the elements integrated in maintenance-related aspects are not easily quantifiable and, on t…

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Integrating the human factor in FMECA-based risk evaluation through Bayesian networks

The contribution of the present paper aims to develop the traditional Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) for quantitative risk analysis from a Bayesian Network (BN)-based perspective. The main purpose of research consists in providing a framework for analysing causal relationships for risk evaluation and deriving probabilistic inference among significant risk factors. These parameters will be represented by linguistic variables and will include the human factor as a key element of analysis. Traditional approaches for risk evaluation and management performed by FMECA [1] represent helpful tools to globally enhance systems and processes conditions [2]. However, such appro…

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Optimal placement of quality sensors in water distribution systems

Water supply infrastructures are crucial for the sustainable existence and development of modern cities [1,2]. Water distribution systems (WDSs) are complex structures formed by many elements designed and erected to transport water of sufficient quality from water sources to consumers. The amount of the above elements, which can reach up to tens of thousands of links and junctions, their frequently wide spatial dispersion and the WDS characteristic of being very dynamic structures make the management of real WDSs a complex problem [3-5]. Moreover, although the main objective is to supply water in the quantity and quality required, other requirements are essential, namely maintaining conditi…

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Assessing supply chain risks in the automotive industry through a modified MCDM-based FMECA

Supply chains are complex networks that receive assiduous attention in the literature. Like any complex network, a supply chain is subject to a wide variety of risks that can result in significant economic losses and negative impacts in terms of image and prestige for companies. In circumstances of aggressive competition among companies, effective management of supply chain risks (SCRs) is crucial, and is currently a very active field of research. Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) has been recently extended to SCR identification and prioritization, aiming at reducing potential losses caused by lack of risk control. This article has a twofold objective. First, SCR assess…

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k-out-of-n systems: an exact formula for the stationary availability and multi-objective configuration design based on mathematical programming and TOPSIS

[EN] Reliability and availability analyses are recognized as essential for guiding decision makers in the implementation of actions addressed to improve the technical and economical performance of complex systems. For industrial systems with reparable components, the most interesting parameter used to drive maintenance is the stationary availability. In this regard, the present paper proposes an exact formula for computing the system stationary availability of a k-out-of-n system. Such a formula is proved to be in agreement with the fundamental theorem of Markov chains. Then, a multi-objective mathematical model is formulated for choosing the optimal system configuration design. The Pareto …

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Contingency plan selection under interdependent risks

Managing supply chain risks (SCRs) has become an increasingly strategic key factor over the last decade, aimed at pursuing and maintaining business success. These types of risks clearly pose an important challenge to managers nowadays, and evaluating uncertainty affecting business scenarios is crucial. Indeed, COVID-19 has been dangerously affecting supply chains of global manufacturers, and is indicated as a main trigger cause of supply chain disruptions for a huge number of enterprises. Major effects derived from epidemic outbreaks on supply chains should be further adequately investigated since enterprises have been adopting poor risk management plans [1] to face them. Many companies, fo…

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Improved pairwise comparison transitivity using strategically selected reduced information

To judge the mutual relationship among elements, pairwise comparisons (PC) are widely used in decision modelling. PC is especially useful when the involved elements are intangible. Frequently, the number of elements to be compared may be very large. When dealing with n elements, the number of PCs is, under the reciprocity hypothesis, n(n − 1)/2. PCs are compiled in so-called pairwise comparison matrices (PCM). In the presence of missing entries due to uncertainty or lack of information, decision-making must be performed from the available incomplete information. Making all the comparisons in the complete case may be tedious, strenuous and time-consuming for the actors, may blur the body of …

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Updating the OSPF routing protocol for communication networks by optimal decision-making over the k-shortest path algorithm

Internet routing protocols such as Routing Information Protocol (RIP) pre-compute all the shortest paths by Dijkstra's algorithm (shortest path first, SPF) based on the number of hops between one node and another. Every time any communication is intended, RIP looks-up for the optimal choice in a routing table. This is a high speed method in the decision-making process but not necessary fast for data traffic as it does not take into account any real-time measure of route congestion. Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) presents a dynamic version of this problem by computing the shortest paths taking into account network features such as bandwidth, delay and load. OSPF thereby maintains link-state…

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