ESD.72 | Spring 2007 | Graduate

Engineering Risk-Benefit Analysis

Course Description

ERBA (ESD.72) emphasizes three methodologies - reliability and probabilistic risk assessment (RPRA), decision analysis (DA), and cost-benefit analysis (CBA). In this class, the issues of interest are: the risks associated with large engineering projects such as nuclear power reactors, the International Space Station, …
ERBA (ESD.72) emphasizes three methodologies - reliability and probabilistic risk assessment (RPRA), decision analysis (DA), and cost-benefit analysis (CBA). In this class, the issues of interest are: the risks associated with large engineering projects such as nuclear power reactors, the International Space Station, and critical infrastructures; the development of new products; the design of processes and operations with environmental externalities; and infrastructure renewal projects.
Learning Resource Types
Lecture Notes
Problem Sets
Fault-tree diagram showing system failure as the result of all three components failing, or any set of two out of three components.
For a system with three components that fails if 2 or more components fails, the probability of overall system failure can be calculated with the help of a fault-tree. (Figure by Prof. Apostolakis.)