IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/reensy/v256y2025ics0951832024008378.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Failure dependence and cascading failures: A literature review and research opportunities

Author

Listed:
  • Zhao, Yixin
  • Cai, Baoping
  • Cozzani, Valerio
  • Liu, Yiliu

Abstract

The complexity of technical systems is escalating, and components within the systems are becoming more vulnerable to failure dependence. Failure dependence implies that the failure of one component or more components can influence the degradation of other components or trigger their failures. To provide a comprehensive understanding of failure dependence issues, a systematic literature review is carried out and critically analyzed in this article, specifically focusing on engineering and technical systems. An overview of key terminologies commonly associated with failure dependence is firstly provided. And then, studies from various perspectives, including reliability, maintenance, resilience, and sustainability are reviewed, with an emphasis on failure dependence models for each research area. Additionally, this study examines the related works applied to four types of complex engineering systems, including subsea systems, chemical industrial clusters, power grids, and traffic networks. The review investigates the failure dependence issues by screening both classical and state-of-the-art methodologies from holistic perspectives and various application fields, identifying future challenges and potential opportunities, which paves the way for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhao, Yixin & Cai, Baoping & Cozzani, Valerio & Liu, Yiliu, 2025. "Failure dependence and cascading failures: A literature review and research opportunities," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reensy:v:256:y:2025:i:c:s0951832024008378
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2024.110766
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0951832024008378
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ress.2024.110766?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhao, Yixin & Cai, Baoping & Kang, Henry Hooi-Siang & Liu, Yiliu, 2023. "Cascading failure analysis of multistate loading dependent systems with application in an overloading piping network," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    2. Nima Khakzad & Faisal Khan & Paul Amyotte & Valerio Cozzani, 2013. "Domino Effect Analysis Using Bayesian Networks," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 33(2), pages 292-306, February.
    3. Che, Haiyang & Zeng, Shengkui & Li, Kehui & Guo, Jianbin, 2022. "Reliability analysis of load-sharing man-machine systems subject to machine degradation, human errors, and random shocks," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    4. Cao, Shihao & Wang, Zhihua & Liu, Chengrui & Wu, Qiong & Li, Junxing & Ouyang, Xiangmin, 2023. "A novel solution for comprehensive competing failure process considering two-phase degradation and non-Poisson shock," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    5. Linkan Bian & Nagi Gebraeel, 2014. "Stochastic modeling and real-time prognostics for multi-component systems with degradation rate interactions," IISE Transactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(5), pages 470-482.
    6. Gholamizadeh, Kamran & Zarei, Esmaeil & Yazdi, Mohammad & Ramezanifar, Ehsan & Aliabadi, Mostafa Mirzaei, 2024. "A hybrid model for dynamic analysis of domino effects in chemical process industries," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    7. Ghaleb, Mageed & Taghipour, Sharareh, 2022. "Assessing the impact of maintenance practices on asset's sustainability," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    8. Levitin, Gregory & Xing, Liudong, 2010. "Reliability and performance of multi-state systems with propagated failures having selective effect," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 95(6), pages 655-661.
    9. Shen, Yi & Yang, Huang & Ren, Gang & Ran, Bin, 2024. "Model cascading overload failure and dynamic vulnerability analysis of facility network of metro station," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    10. Mark M Dekker & Debabrata Panja, 2021. "Cascading dominates large-scale disruptions in transport over complex networks," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(1), pages 1-17, January.
    11. Zhang, Xi & Wang, Qin & Bi, Xiaowen & Li, Donghong & Liu, Dong & Yu, Yuanjin & Tse, Chi Kong, 2024. "Mitigating cascading failure in power grids with deep reinforcement learning-based remedial actions," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    12. Torrado, Nuria & Arriaza, Antonio & Navarro, Jorge, 2021. "A study on multi-level redundancy allocation in coherent systems formed by modules," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    13. Fan, Dongming & Sun, Bo & Dui, Hongyan & Zhong, Jilong & Wang, Ziyao & Ren, Yi & Wang, Zili, 2022. "A modified connectivity link addition strategy to improve the resilience of multiplex networks against attacks," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    14. Cadini, Francesco & Agliardi, Gian Luca & Zio, Enrico, 2017. "A modeling and simulation framework for the reliability/availability assessment of a power transmission grid subject to cascading failures under extreme weather conditions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P1), pages 267-279.
    15. Min-Tsai Lai, 2007. "Periodical Replacement Model for a Multi-Unit System Subject to Failure Rate Interaction," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 401-411, June.
    16. Alileche, Nassim & Cozzani, Valerio & Reniers, Genserik & Estel, Lionel, 2015. "Thresholds for domino effects and safety distances in the process industry: A review of approaches and regulations," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 74-84.
    17. Zhang, Nan & Fouladirad, Mitra & Barros, Anne & Zhang, Jun, 2020. "Condition-based maintenance for a K-out-of-N deteriorating system under periodic inspection with failure dependence," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 287(1), pages 159-167.
    18. Zhang, Nan & Fouladirad, Mitra & Barros, Anne, 2018. "Optimal imperfect maintenance cost analysis of a two-component system with failure interactions," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 24-34.
    19. Yu, Songyuan & Wei, Chuxi & Fang, Fang & Liu, Mingxi & Chen, Yuanye, 2024. "Resilience assessment of electric-thermal energy networks considering cascading failure under ice disasters," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 369(C).
    20. Liang, Zhenglin & Parlikad, Ajith Kumar & Srinivasan, Rengarajan & Rasmekomen, Nipat, 2017. "On fault propagation in deterioration of multi-component systems," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 72-80.
    21. Mohamed Arezki Mellal & Enrico Zio & Sameer Al-Dahidi & Naoki Masuyama & Yusuke Nojima, 2023. "System design optimization with mixed subsystems failure dependencies," Post-Print hal-04103840, HAL.
    22. Zhang, Lin & Wen, Huiying & Lu, Jian & Lei, Da & Li, Shubin & Ukkusuri, Satish V., 2022. "Exploring cascading reliability of multi-modal public transit network based on complex networks," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    23. Dui, Hongyan & Zhang, Huanqi & Dong, Xinghui & Zhang, Songru, 2024. "Cascading failure and resilience optimization of unmanned vehicle distribution networks in IoT," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    24. Landucci, Gabriele & Argenti, Francesca & Tugnoli, Alessandro & Cozzani, Valerio, 2015. "Quantitative assessment of safety barrier performance in the prevention of domino scenarios triggered by fire," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 30-43.
    25. Nezakati, Ensiyeh & Razmkhah, Mostafa, 2020. "Reliability analysis of a load sharing k-out-of-n:F degradation system with dependent competing failures," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    26. Xia, Yongxiang & Fan, Jin & Hill, David, 2010. "Cascading failure in Watts–Strogatz small-world networks," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 389(6), pages 1281-1285.
    27. Goldbeck, Nils & Angeloudis, Panagiotis & Ochieng, Washington, 2020. "Optimal supply chain resilience with consideration of failure propagation and repair logistics," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    28. Casson Moreno, Valeria & Marroni, Giulia & Landucci, Gabriele, 2022. "Probabilistic assessment aimed at the evaluation of escalating scenarios in process facilities combining safety and security barriers," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    29. Khakzad, Nima & Landucci, Gabriele & Reniers, Genserik, 2017. "Application of dynamic Bayesian network to performance assessment of fire protection systems during domino effects," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 232-247.
    30. Sun, Fuqiang & Li, Hao & Cheng, Yuanyuan & Liao, Haitao, 2021. "Reliability analysis for a system experiencing dependent degradation processes and random shocks based on a nonlinear Wiener process model," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    31. Zhang, Nan & Fouladirad, Mitra & Barros, Anne, 2017. "Maintenance analysis of a two-component load-sharing system," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 67-74.
    32. Li, Jie & Wang, Ying & Zhong, Jilong & Sun, Yun & Guo, Zhijun & Chen, Zhiwei & Fu, Chaoqi, 2022. "Network resilience assessment and reinforcement strategy against cascading failure," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    33. Mellal, Mohamed Arezki & Zio, Enrico & Al-Dahidi, Sameer & Masuyama, Naoki & Nojima, Yusuke, 2023. "System design optimization with mixed subsystems failure dependencies," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    34. Xu, Yang & Peng, Peng & Claramunt, Christophe & Lu, Feng & Yan, Ran, 2024. "Cascading failure modelling in global container shipping network using mass vessel trajectory data," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    35. Zhang, Nan & Cai, Kaiquan & Zhang, Jun & Wang, Tian, 2022. "A condition-based maintenance policy considering failure dependence and imperfect inspection for a two-component system," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    36. Guo, Hengdao & Zheng, Ciyan & Iu, Herbert Ho-Ching & Fernando, Tyrone, 2017. "A critical review of cascading failure analysis and modeling of power system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 9-22.
    37. Salama, Mohamed & El-Dakhakhni, Wael & Tait, Michael, 2023. "Systemic risk mitigation strategy for power grid cascade failures using constrained spectral clustering," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    38. Amin, Md. Tanjin & Scarponi, Giordano Emrys & Cozzani, Valerio & Khan, Faisal, 2024. "Improved pool fire-initiated domino effect assessment in atmospheric tank farms using structural response," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    39. Najafi, Arsalan & Tsaousoglou, Georgios & Gao, Kun & Parishwad, Omkar, 2024. "Coordination of coupled electrified road systems and active power distribution networks with flexibility integration," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 369(C).
    40. Nie, Yinghui & Li, Jingpei & Liu, Gengyun & Zhou, Pan, 2023. "Cascading failure-based reliability assessment for post-seismic performance of highway bridge network," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    41. Oakley, Jordan L. & Wilson, Kevin J. & Philipson, Pete, 2022. "A condition-based maintenance policy for continuously monitored multi-component systems with economic and stochastic dependence," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    42. Zhou, Jian & Coit, David W. & Felder, Frank A. & Tsianikas, Stamatis, 2023. "Combined optimization of system reliability improvement and resilience with mixed cascading failures in dependent network systems," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 237(C).
    43. Chen, Ying & Yang, Liu & Ye, Cui & Kang, Rui, 2015. "Failure mechanism dependence and reliability evaluation of non-repairable system," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 273-283.
    44. Lin Xie & Mary Ann Lundteigen & Yiliu Liu, 2020. "Reliability and barrier assessment of series–parallel systems subject to cascading failures," Journal of Risk and Reliability, , vol. 234(3), pages 455-469, June.
    45. Fu, Xiuwen & Xu, Xiaojie & Li, Wenfeng, 2024. "Cascading failure resilience analysis and recovery of automotive manufacturing supply chain networks considering enterprise roles," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 634(C).
    46. Olde Keizer, Minou C.A. & Flapper, Simme Douwe P. & Teunter, Ruud H., 2017. "Condition-based maintenance policies for systems with multiple dependent components: A review," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 261(2), pages 405-420.
    47. Zhao, Yixin & Cozzani, Valerio & Sun, Tianqi & Vatn, Jørn & Liu, Yiliu, 2023. "Condition-based maintenance for a multi-component system subject to heterogeneous failure dependences," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    48. Fan, Mengfei & Zeng, Zhiguo & Zio, Enrico & Kang, Rui, 2017. "Modeling dependent competing failure processes with degradation-shock dependence," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 422-430.
    49. Zeng, Zhiguo & Barros, Anne & Coit, David, 2023. "Dependent failure behavior modeling for risk and reliability: A systematic and critical literature review," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    50. Tugnoli, Alessandro & Cozzani, Valerio & Di Padova, Annamaria & Barbaresi, Tiziana & Tallone, Fabrizio, 2012. "Mitigation of fire damage and escalation by fireproofing: A risk-based strategy," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 25-35.
    51. Rasmekomen, Nipat & Parlikad, Ajith Kumar, 2016. "Condition-based maintenance of multi-component systems with degradation state-rate interactions," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 1-10.
    52. Zhang, Mengyao & Huang, Tao & Guo, Zhaoxia & He, Zhenggang, 2022. "Complex-network-based traffic network analysis and dynamics: A comprehensive review," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 607(C).
    53. Janssens, Jochen & Talarico, Luca & Reniers, Genserik & Sörensen, Kenneth, 2015. "A decision model to allocate protective safety barriers and mitigate domino effects," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 44-52.
    54. Nima Khakzad & Gabriele Landucci & Genserik Reniers, 2017. "Application of Graph Theory to Cost‐Effective Fire Protection of Chemical Plants During Domino Effects," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(9), pages 1652-1667, September.
    55. D. N. P. Murthy & D. G. Nguyen, 1985. "Study of two‐component system with failure interaction," Naval Research Logistics Quarterly, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(2), pages 239-247, May.
    56. Murthy, D. N. P. & Nguyen, D. G., 1985. "Study of a multi-component system with failure interaction," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 330-338, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Du, Mijie & Guo, Peng & Zio, Enrico & Zhao, Jing, 2025. "Assessing the vulnerability of power network accounting for demand diversity among urban functional zones," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xie, Lin & Lundteigen, Mary Ann & Liu, Yiliu, 2021. "Performance analysis of safety instrumented systems against cascading failures during prolonged demands," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    2. Lin Xie & Mary Ann Lundteigen & Yiliu Liu, 2020. "Reliability and barrier assessment of series–parallel systems subject to cascading failures," Journal of Risk and Reliability, , vol. 234(3), pages 455-469, June.
    3. Zeng, Tao & Wei, Lijun & Reniers, Genserik & Chen, Guohua, 2024. "A comprehensive study for probability prediction of domino effects considering synergistic effects," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    4. Misuri, Alessio & Landucci, Gabriele & Cozzani, Valerio, 2021. "Assessment of risk modification due to safety barrier performance degradation in Natech events," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    5. Zhao, Yixin & Cozzani, Valerio & Sun, Tianqi & Vatn, Jørn & Liu, Yiliu, 2023. "Condition-based maintenance for a multi-component system subject to heterogeneous failure dependences," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    6. Lyu, Hao & Li, Zhihang & Qiao, Xuehang & Lu, Bing & Xie, Hualong & Pecht, Michael, 2025. "Reliability analysis for multi-component system considering failure propagation and dependent competing failure process," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    7. Zhang, Nan & Cai, Kaiquan & Zhang, Jun & Wang, Tian, 2022. "A condition-based maintenance policy considering failure dependence and imperfect inspection for a two-component system," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    8. Khakzad, Nima, 2021. "Optimal firefighting to prevent domino effects: Methodologies based on dynamic influence diagram and mathematical programming," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    9. Khakzad, Nima, 2023. "A goal programming approach to multi-objective optimization of firefighting strategies in the event of domino effects," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    10. Guo, Xiaoxue & Ding, Long & Ji, Jie & Cozzani, Valerio, 2022. "A cost-effective optimization model of safety investment allocation for risk reduction of domino effects," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    11. Khakzad, Nima, 2023. "A methodology based on Dijkstra's algorithm and mathematical programming for optimal evacuation in process plants in the event of major tank fires," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    12. Zeng, Zhiguo & Barros, Anne & Coit, David, 2023. "Dependent failure behavior modeling for risk and reliability: A systematic and critical literature review," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    13. Landucci, Gabriele & Necci, Amos & Antonioni, Giacomo & Argenti, Francesca & Cozzani, Valerio, 2017. "Risk assessment of mitigated domino scenarios in process facilities," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 37-53.
    14. Misuri, Alessio & Landucci, Gabriele & Cozzani, Valerio, 2021. "Assessment of safety barrier performance in the mitigation of domino scenarios caused by Natech events," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    15. de Jonge, Bram & Scarf, Philip A., 2020. "A review on maintenance optimization," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 285(3), pages 805-824.
    16. Ovidi, Federica & Zhang, Laobing & Landucci, Gabriele & Reniers, Genserik, 2021. "Agent-based model and simulation of mitigated domino scenarios in chemical tank farms," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    17. Hou, Lei & Wu, Xingguang & Wu, Zhuang & Wu, Shouzhi, 2020. "Pattern identification and risk prediction of domino effect based on data mining methods for accidents occurred in the tank farm," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    18. Zhang, Yushuai & Ren, Wangjun & Feng, Jinji & Zhao, Jian & Chen, Yicun & Mi, Yongtao, 2024. "A cascading failure propagation model for a network with a node emergency recovery function," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 371(C).
    19. Li, Heping & Zhu, Wenjin & Dieulle, Laurence & Deloux, Estelle, 2022. "Condition-based maintenance strategies for stochastically dependent systems using Nested Lévy copulas," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    20. Song, Xudan & Zhao, Pengcheng & Yin, Rongrong & Zu, Yunxiao & Zhang, Yong, 2025. "Cascading failure model and resilience-based sequential recovery strategy for complex networks," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:reensy:v:256:y:2025:i:c:s0951832024008378. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/reliability-engineering-and-system-safety .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.