IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/reensy/v257y2025ipas0951832025000018.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Maintenance policies for protection systems with imperfect inspection and imperfect repair

Author

Listed:
  • Tekin, Salih
  • Bakır, Niyazi Onur
  • KeleÅŸ, Büşra

Abstract

In this study, we investigate the optimal maintenance policies for stochastically deteriorating protection systems with imperfect inspections and imperfect repairs. We model the system’s degradation as a continuous-time Markov chain with three states: good, poor, and failed. Six unique maintenance policies are considered, ranging from minimal intervention to immediate replacement upon any detected deviation from the good state. Our objective is to determine the optimal policy and inspection period that minimize the long-term maintenance cost rate. Through numerical examples, we demonstrate that maintenance policies which account for the inherent imperfections and are tailored to the system parameters can result in significant gains. We also assess the value of removing imperfections in the inspection or repair practices so that managers can focus their improvement efforts on the most promising activities. The original contribution of this study is the explicit construction and determination of the optimal maintenance policies specifically designed for protection systems that are subject to imperfect inspections and imperfect repairs. We develop a versatile model that facilitates a comparative evaluation of these policies, along with a sensitivity analysis regarding the uncertainty introduced by both the risky deterioration process and the imperfections in inspection and intervention actions.

Suggested Citation

  • Tekin, Salih & Bakır, Niyazi Onur & KeleÅŸ, Büşra, 2025. "Maintenance policies for protection systems with imperfect inspection and imperfect repair," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 257(PA).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:reensy:v:257:y:2025:i:pa:s0951832025000018
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2025.110798
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0951832025000018
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ress.2025.110798?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Akcay, Alp, 2022. "An alert-assisted inspection policy for a production process with imperfect condition signals," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 298(2), pages 510-525.
    2. Santos, Augusto César de Jesus & Cavalcante, Cristiano Alexandre Virgínio & Wu, Shaomin, 2023. "Maintenance policies and models: A bibliometric and literature review of strategies for reuse and remanufacturing," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    3. Santos, Augusto César de Jesus & Cavalcante, Cristiano Alexandre Virginio & Ren, Junru & Wu, Shaomin, 2023. "A novel delay time modelling method for incorporating reuse actions in three-state single-component systems," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    4. Wang, Jiantai & Zhou, Shihan & Peng, Rui & Qiu, Qingan & Yang, Li, 2023. "An inspection-based replacement planning in consideration of state-driven imperfect inspections," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    5. Pourkarim Guilani, Pedram & Sharifi, Mani & Niaki, S.T.A. & Zaretalab, Arash, 2014. "Reliability evaluation of non-reparable three-state systems using Markov model and its comparison with the UGF and the recursive methods," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 29-35.
    6. Chen, Hua-Peng & Mehrabani, Mehrdad Bahari, 2019. "Reliability analysis and optimum maintenance of coastal flood defences using probabilistic deterioration modelling," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 163-174.
    7. Mizutani, Satoshi & Zhao, Xufeng & Nakagawa, Toshio, 2021. "Age and periodic replacement policies with two failure modes in general replacement models," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 214(C).
    8. Berrade, M.D. & Cavalcante, Cristiano A.V. & Scarf, Philip A., 2012. "Maintenance scheduling of a protection system subject to imperfect inspection and replacement," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 218(3), pages 716-725.
    9. Zhang, Fengxia & Shen, Jingyuan & Ma, Yizhong, 2020. "Optimal maintenance policy considering imperfect repairs and non-constant probabilities of inspection errors," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    10. Rodrigues, Augusto J.S. & Cavalcante, Cristiano A.V. & Lee, Chi-Guhn, 2024. "A general inspection and replacement policy for protection systems subject to shocks with state dependent effect," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    11. Zhao, Yunfei & Smidts, Carol, 2022. "Reinforcement learning for adaptive maintenance policy optimization under imperfect knowledge of the system degradation model and partial observability of system states," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    12. Bismut, Elizabeth & Pandey, Mahesh D. & Straub, Daniel, 2022. "Reliability-based inspection and maintenance planning of a nuclear feeder piping system," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    13. Zhang, Fengxia & Liao, Haitao & Shen, Jingyuan & Ma, Yizhong, 2024. "Optimal maintenance over a finite time horizon for a system under imperfect inspection and dynamic working environment," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    14. Alberti, Alexandre R. & Cavalcante, Cristiano A.V. & Scarf, Philip & Silva, André L.O., 2018. "Modelling inspection and replacement quality for a protection system," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 145-153.
    15. Berrade, M.D. & Scarf, P.A. & Cavalcante, C.A.V. & Dwight, R.A., 2013. "Imperfect inspection and replacement of a system with a defective state: A cost and reliability analysis," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 80-87.
    16. 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).
    17. Pedersen, Tom Ivar & Liu, Xingheng & Vatn, Jørn, 2023. "Maintenance optimization of a system subject to two-stage degradation, hard failure, and imperfect repair," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 237(C).
    18. Ait Mokhtar, El Hassene & Laggoune, Radouane & Chateauneuf, Alaa, 2023. "Imperfect maintenance modeling and assessment of repairable multi-component systems," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    19. de Jonge, Bram & Scarf, Philip A., 2020. "A review on maintenance optimization," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 285(3), pages 805-824.
    20. Pinciroli, Luca & Baraldi, Piero & Zio, Enrico, 2023. "Maintenance optimization in industry 4.0," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    21. Zhao, Xian & Guo, Bin & Chen, Yuan, 2024. "A condition-based inspection-maintenance policy for critical systems with an unreliable monitor system," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    22. van Oosterom, C.D. & Elwany, A.H. & Çelebi, D. & van Houtum, G.J., 2014. "Optimal policies for a delay time model with postponed replacement," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 232(1), pages 186-197.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Rodrigues, Augusto J.S. & Cavalcante, Cristiano A.V. & Lee, Chi-Guhn, 2024. "A general inspection and replacement policy for protection systems subject to shocks with state dependent effect," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    2. Ulansky, Vladimir & Raza, Ahmed, 2025. "A historical survey of condition-based maintenance models with imperfect inspections: Cases of constant and non-constant probabilities of inspection outcomes," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 254(PA).
    3. Wang, Jiantai & Ma, Xiaobing & Yang, Li & Qiu, Qingan & Shang, Lijun & Wang, Jingjing, 2024. "A hybrid inspection-replacement policy for multi-stage degradation considering imperfect inspection with variable probabilities," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    4. Zhang, Fengxia & Shen, Jingyuan & Liao, Haitao & Ma, Yizhong, 2021. "Optimal preventive maintenance policy for a system subject to two-phase imperfect inspections," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    5. Akcay, Alp, 2022. "An alert-assisted inspection policy for a production process with imperfect condition signals," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 298(2), pages 510-525.
    6. Wang, Jiantai & Zhou, Shihan & Peng, Rui & Qiu, Qingan & Yang, Li, 2023. "An inspection-based replacement planning in consideration of state-driven imperfect inspections," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    7. Cavalcante, Cristiano A.V. & Lopes, Rodrigo S. & Scarf, Philip A., 2021. "Inspection and replacement policy with a fixed periodic schedule," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    8. Dinh, Duc-Hanh & Do, Phuc & Hoang, Van-Thanh & Vo, Nhu-Thanh & Bang, Tao Quang, 2024. "A predictive maintenance policy for manufacturing systems considering degradation of health monitoring device," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    9. Levitin, Gregory & Finkelstein, Maxim & Huang, Hong-Zhong, 2019. "Scheduling of imperfect inspections for reliability critical systems with shock-driven defects and delayed failures," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 89-98.
    10. Scarf, P.A. & Cavalcante, C.A.V. & Lopes, R.S., 2019. "Delay-time modelling of a critical system subject to random inspections," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 278(3), pages 772-782.
    11. Zhang, Fengxia & Shen, Jingyuan & Ma, Yizhong, 2020. "Optimal maintenance policy considering imperfect repairs and non-constant probabilities of inspection errors," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    12. Li, Meiyan & Wu, Bei, 2024. "Optimal condition-based opportunistic maintenance policy for two-component systems considering common cause failure," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    13. Pinciroli, Luca & Baraldi, Piero & Zio, Enrico, 2023. "Maintenance optimization in industry 4.0," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    14. Berrade, M.D. & Scarf, P.A. & Cavalcante, C.A.V., 2017. "A study of postponed replacement in a delay time model," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 70-79.
    15. Zhang, Fengxia & Liao, Haitao & Shen, Jingyuan & Ma, Yizhong, 2024. "Optimal maintenance over a finite time horizon for a system under imperfect inspection and dynamic working environment," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    16. Zhang, Huixian & Wei, Xiukun & Liu, Zhiqiang & Ding, Yaning & Guan, Qingluan, 2025. "Condition-based maintenance for multi-state systems with prognostic and deep reinforcement learning," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    17. 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).
    18. Alberti, Alexandre R. & Cavalcante, Cristiano A.V. & Scarf, Philip & Silva, André L.O., 2018. "Modelling inspection and replacement quality for a protection system," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 145-153.
    19. de Jonge, Bram & Teunter, Ruud & Tinga, Tiedo, 2017. "The influence of practical factors on the benefits of condition-based maintenance over time-based maintenance," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 21-30.
    20. Alaswad, Suzan & Xiang, Yisha, 2017. "A review on condition-based maintenance optimization models for stochastically deteriorating system," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 54-63.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:257:y:2025:i:pa:s0951832025000018. 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.