Network Reliability Evaluation Using Probability Expressions

The terminal-pair reliability of a graph (network) is evaluated by means of probability expressions. These expressions result from a transformation of Boolean expressions from the Boolean domain into the probabilistic domain. Basic operations on probability expressions are shown, and a data representation is given for automation of the procedure. The performance of this procedure is compared with other published results. Two new measures, PRI and POST, give relationships between a network's terminal-pair reliability and individual element reliabilities, and derive an element ordering for network diagnosis. These measures can be computed easily using probability expressions.