7. UNUSUAL FEATURES OF THE PROGRAM
The fault tree technique
provides analysis flexibility which ranges from equipment analysis
to over-all plant analyses incorporating all the influencing
elements on a total-system basis. The deductive approach used in
this technique is useful for evaluating design consistency and
reliability, for judging alternatives, for determining
acceptability of trade-offs, and for analyzing multiple failure
combinations and common mode failures in complex systems. The
fault tree method allows analyses to consider the rate at which
failures or events are detected after they occur (detection time)
and the rates at which they are restored to normal (repair time).
The fault tree method is concerned with assuring that all critical
activities are identified and eliminated or controlled. A system,
when defined in terms of the all encompassing analysis capability
of fault tree analysis, is a composite of operational and support
equipment, personnel, facilities and software which are used
together as an entity and are capable of performing and/or
supporting an operational role.