Managing Reliability Growth in Practice

Abstract

Delivering the Elizabeth Line service that customers value and choose to travel on requires a network that is fully integrated, reliable, safe, and sustainable. To make Elizabeth Line the transport mode of choice, the network needs reliable systems and assets that deliver levels of performance consistent with a highly reliable service. This paper discusses the experience of Crossrail Ltd (CRL) implementing Reliability Growth Management (RGM) policies and techniques that are playing and have played a vital role in improving reliability performance during test phases such as Dynamic Testing (DT), Systems Integration Dynamic Testing (SIDT), Trial Running (TR) and Trial Operations (TO), prior to revenue service. RGM has proved to be much more than just another analytical tool or element to aid the reliability practitioner on single systems. It has assisted in bringing together the range of engineering and management disciplines involved in the project towards a more integrated approach to an improved reliability outcome. This technical paper includes the following scope and elements of RGM; Planning for Reliability Growth (RG), recognising that the development test philosophy has been to rationalise all types of testing including functionality, performance and reliability into an integrated test programme; Processes established for efficient collection and validation of data which is essential to provide timely and relevant information to support programme decision making; Implementation of a unified Data Reporting and Corrective Action System (DRACAS) used by all programme projects, with close monitoring of remedial actions; Use of RG models and projection techniques including Duane Model and Extrapolated Reliability approaches, as recommended by international standards; Use of specialist tools for reliability prediction and event Log analysis. The paper also highlights key lessons learnt across the above that can assist other programmes when setting up effective RGM arrangements on complex integrated systems being developed and implemented within a multi-stakeholder and complex environment.