Safety based design and maintenance optimisation of large marine engineering systems

This paper presents a techno-economic modelling methodology that may be applied to the design and maintenance optimisation of large engineering systems based on safety analysis. The proposed methodology brings together risk and cost objectives into the decision making process for the improvement of design aspects and maintenance policies. Information produced using an inductive bottom-up safety analysis approach described in this paper is utilised to construct a techno-economic model. Multiple Objective Decision Making (MODM) techniques are then employed to process the constructed model. The results produced can assist designers in developing efficient designs that take into account the probabilistic risks, their possible consequences, maintenance cost, repair cost and design review cost. A technical example of an hydraulic hoisting transmission system of an offshore pedestal crane is presented to demonstrate the interaction between economic modelling and safety analysis and to indicate the potential use of this techno-economic modelling methodology in the design and maintenance decision making process of large marine and offshore engineering products.