Damage vs failure: a risk assessment needs to know the difference

To measure resistance in a way most useful to a risk assessment, we must estimate the possible presence of weaknesses, the rate of emergence of future weaknesses, and the role of each weakness in strength reduction. By W. Kent Muhlbauer, WKM Consulting, Austin, TX, USA Since several of our recent columns have dealt with management-of-risk […]

Is this the same as SRA, LSD?

This recommended pipeline risk assessment methodology is similar to SRA (Structural Reliability Analyses) and LSD (Limit State Design) or LRFD (Load and Resistance Factor Design).  This is coincidental, since the methodology was developed independently from these techniques.  However, despite the similarities, there are key differences. Similarities include: Focus on engineering principles rather than incident history Accommodates […]

Pipeline Reliability–Service Interruption As ‘Failure’

Generally, a pipeline’s reliability includes consideration of all leak/rupture scenarios PLUS all other scenarios that could prevent the system from performing its intended function.  With the normal ‘intended function’ being something like:  deliver product to point B from point A at specified flow rates, pressures, temperatures, and product quality, a reliability failure occurs when any […]