Joint optimization of component reassignment and working intensity adjusting strategy for multi-state systems with periodic inspection in a shock environment

Abstract

For some engineering systems performing a mission with long duration, the component positions and working intensity can be dynamically adjusted to improve the efficiency of mission completion and system reliability. Motivated by this reality, a joint strategy of component reassignment and working intensity adjusting is proposed for a multi-component system. Components at different positions can be functionally exchanged. When at least one component fails completely, the system fails. The system operates under a shock environment and the probability that a shock is valid to a component is affected by its position and working intensity. The system can complete more tasks per unit time in a higher working intensity, but the probability that a shock is valid to a component is also larger. The mission is divided into multiple phases, and the action of component reassignment and working intensity adjusting needs to be decided at the beginning of each phase. A Markov decision process is constructed and the optimal mission phase number and strategy are obtained by a finite stage backward recursive iterative algorithm. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) swarm performing an emergency rescue mission is taken as an example to verify the effectiveness of the proposed joint strategy.