Reliability optimization and importance analysis of circular-consecutive \(k\)-out-of-\(n\) system (Q1992414)

Summary: The circular-consecutive \(k\)-out-of-\(n\):\(F(G)\) system (Cir/Con/\(k/n\):\(F(G)\) system) usually consists of \(n\) components arranged in a circle where the system fails (works) if consecutive \(k\) components fail (work). The optimization of the Cir/Con/\(k/n\) system is a typical case in the component assignment problem. In this paper, the Birnbaum importance-based genetic algorithm (BIGA), which takes the advantages of genetic algorithm and Birnbaum importance, is introduced to deal with the reliability optimization for Cir/Con/\(k/n\) system. The detailed process and property of BIGA are put forward at first. Then, some numerical experiments are implemented, whose results are compared with two classic Birnbaum importance-based search algorithms, to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of BIGA in Cir/Con/\(k/n\) system. Finally, three typical cases of Cir/Con/\(k/n\) systems are introduced to demonstrate the relationships among the component reliability, optimal permutation, and component importance.