Common Load Model: A Tool for Common Cause Failure Analysis

摘要

A model is developed to assess the dependency of failures when redundant structures are loaded by a common stress. Both the common stress and the resistance of the structural items are assumed to be distributed normally or log-normally. The study results in a simple power law: the multiple failure probability can be expressed in terms of the single failure probability. The wider application of this power law in the analysis of common cause failures is discussed.