John P. Bentley

Bio: John P. Bentley is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Quality assurance & Failure rate. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 61 citations.

An Introduction to Reliability and Quality Engineering

Abstract: Part 1 Principles of quality and reliability: the quality of a product the meaning of quality product specification using continuous performance characteristics statistical analysis of continuous performance characteristics comparison of performance statistics with product specification the reliability of a product the meaning of reliability practical reliability definitions instantaneous failure rate and its relation to reliability typical forms of hazard rate function rules for combining probabilities. Part 2 Reliability of systems: series systems parallel systems general series-parallel system majority voting systems standby systems common mode failures availability of systems. Part 3 Failure rate data and models: failure rate data failures influencing failure rate failure rate models calculation of equipment failure rate from component failure rate data software reliability human reliability. Part 4 Quality and reliability in manufacture: the achievement of quality economics of quality and reliability design for quality and reliability quality and reliability in production testing of the finished product. Part 5: Reliability in maintenance: reliability and the total cost of ownership breakdown maintenance preventive maintenance on-condition maintenance. Part 6 Protective systems for hazardous processes: introduction the hazardous process target hazard rate for the protective system choice of trip initiating parameters design of the protective system hazard analysis of process and protective system.

Systemic approach for the maintenance of complex structural systems

Abstract: This paper deals with the general framework for the development and the maintenance of complex structural systems. In the first part, starting with a semantic analysis of the term ‘structure’, the traditional approach to structural problem solving has been reconsidered. Consequently, a systemic approach for the formulation of the different kinds of direct and inverse problems has been framed, particularly with regards to structural design and maintenance. The overall design phase is defined with the aid of the performance-based design (PBD) philosophy, emphasizing the concepts of dependability and enlightening the role of structural identification. The second part of the present work analyses structural health monitoring (SHM) in the systemic way previously introduced. Finally, the techniques related to the implementation of the monitoring process are introduced and a synoptic overview of methods and instruments for structural health monitoring is presented, with particular attention to the ones necessary...

Soft Computing Based Multilevel Strategy for Bridge Integrity Monitoring

Abstract: In recent years, structural integrity monitor- ing has become increasingly important in structural en- gineering and construction management. It represents an important tool for the assessment of the dependability of existing complex structural systems as it integrates, in a unified perspective, advanced engineering analyses and experimental data processing. In thefirst part of this work the concepts of dependability and structural integrity are discussed and it is shown that an effective integrity assess- ment needs advanced computational methods. For this purpose, soft computing methods have shown to be very useful. In particular, in this work the neural networks model is chosen and successfully improved by apply- ing the Bayesian inference at four hierarchical levels: for training, optimization of the regularization terms, data- based model selection, and evaluation of the relative im- portance of different inputs. In the second part of the ar- ticle, Bayesian neural networks are used to formulate a multilevel strategy for the monitoring of the integrity of long span bridges subjected to environmental actions: in a first level the occurrence of damage is detected; in a fol- lowing level the specific damaged element is recognized and the intensity of damage is quantified.

Reliability based approach for structural design and assessment: performance criteria and indicators in current European codes and guidelines

Abstract: This paper deals with the reliability based approach for design and assessment of civil engineering systems: in particular the performance criteria and indicators given in current structural codes are discussed. The paper is organized in three parts. In the first part the general aspects related to the structural design are discussed, while in the second part the performance indicators for the reliability assessment of existing structures are presented. In this regard, the contents of current European standards for structural design and assessment are briefly presented. In the third part the concept of robustness is discussed and the main definitions and methods for reliability verification taking into account the structural robustness are given. At the end, the concept of dependability is introduced. This is a quite new concept in the field of Civil Engineering and could be useful to describe the overall quality of a structural system.