Absence Of Failures Research Articles

Integration of sustainable development goals in the field of process engineering through active learning methodologies

The purpose of this paper is to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the outlines of a Master's Degree in Industrial Engineering using active learning methodologies. The main objective of this integration is to favor sustainable human education and to increase students’ awareness and responsibility towards future generations from the chemical engineering point of view. Within the process engineering course, the students must design a chemical process using technical, economic, social and environmental criteria. Active learning methodologies were gradually introduced in different academic courses (Project-Based Learning, Collaborative Work and Flipped Classroom) and finally SDGs were implemented in the 2020–21 academic course. A synergetic effect with the active learning methodologies was observed, increasing the motivation of the students and the academics, and the complexity of the projects performed by students. The introduction of the SDGs improved academic results, which was reflected in the absence of failures and a decrease in the percentage of students passing with the lowest grade from 16 % to 10 %. Moreover, students report that this project significantly enhanced their knowledge of the SDGs related to energy and climate change; students having low or very low knowledge about SDGs were reduced to 7 % as compared to the initial 45 %.

Comparison of treatment trains for indirect potable reuse and use of quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) to evaluate reliability of pathogen removal: Zoo Miami case study

Wastewater and reclaimed water contain various microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoa that can cause waterborne diseases in humans and animals. Zoos and animal conservation parks utilize reclaimed water for various purposes which may contain pathogens harmful to human and animal health. The goal of this study was to assess the treatment performance of two treatment trains for indirect potable reuse (IPR) and perform quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) to evaluate the reliability of pathogen removal at a proposed advanced water treatment facility at the Zoo Miami. A review of advanced treatment and disinfection technologies relevant for reclaimed water production and pathogen removal was conducted as a part of this study. DPRisk was used to perform QMRA for four reference pathogens selected as model organisms for two IPR treatment trains (TT1 and TT2). Public health risk estimates for pathogens including Adenovirus, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and enteric viruses indicated that the risk of infection was below the EPA's target daily threshold of 2.7 × 10−7 and annual risk threshold of 10−4 without failure analysis. With failure analysis, both treatment trains met the daily risk goals for each of the reference pathogens approximately 99 % of the time. Adenovirus demonstrated the highest probability of infection with a mean annual risk of infection for TT1 of 6.65 × 10−9 in the absence of failures but reached a maximum of 7.34 × 10−2 with failure analysis. TT2 resulted in higher risk estimates compared to TT1 with a mean annual risk of infection of 2.10 × 10−8 without failure and a maximum of 8.37 × 10−2 with failure analysis. The results of the failure analysis demonstrate the benefit of treatment redundancy in potable reuse system design and highlight the importance of online process monitoring to rapidly identify off-spec or treatment failure events to protect public health. With this information, stakeholders can better understand treatment requirements and microbiological risks to inform potable reuse planning, design, and risk management.

A modified method of self-recovery of distributed software in heterogeneous computer systems

The object of research is the distributed computing process in heterogeneous computer systems. The subject of the research is methods of self-healing for distributed software on heterogeneous computer systems. The goal is to increase the efficiency of distributed data processing systems with support for the functional stability of the computing process by developing a modified method of self-healing of distributed software. Tasks: to investigate the existing methods of restoring the distributed computing process, to draw conclusions about their advantages and disadvantages; on the basis of mathematical models of tasks, computing resources and existing methods of resource allocation, develop a modification of the method of self-recovery of distributed software taking into account management strategies, finding the best solution for the selected criteria, reducing energy consumption during the execution of tasks; conduct a number of experiments comparing the developed method with existing ones. Research methods are based on the use of set theory, general systems theory, and simulation modeling theory. The results of the experiments obtained during the simulation of the allocation of software tasks to computing resources in a simulated simulation environment and the simulation of the computing process during self-recovery in case of resource failures confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method. Conclusion: the application of the method in distributed computing control systems does not increase the time the system spends on performing the task in the absence of failures, at the same time, in the presence of failures, it allows to restore the functionality of the software task faster and reduces the execution time by 8–17%, and energy consumption by 7–12%. There is also an increase in efficiency with an increase in the size of the tasks and the probability of failures. The development of technologies for automated or automatic use of methods of resource allocation and self-recovery can be indicated as areas for future research.

ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL REGIME OF THE NORTHERN DELIVERY AS A FACTOR OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTH AND THE ARCTIC ZONE OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Achieving “accelerated social and economic development” of the Russian North and the Arctic presupposes, among other things, the uninterrupted supply of hard-to-reach territories, to which there is no year-round access by land transport, with essential goods (food, medicine, fuel). At different periods of time, different delivery schemes were used to supply such territories - with a greater or lesser degree of state participation. Thus, during the Soviet period, northern deliveries were carried out entirely at the expense of the state. All experts note the high level of organization, the absence of failures, the wide range and volume of all necessary goods. With the country's transition to a market economy, the implementation of northern delivery activities was transferred to the level of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The decentralized model is characterized by disruptions in the supply of goods, their narrow range, low volume and inflated prices. Since 2024, a new special federal law on northern delivery has come into force, and by-laws are being actively developed and adopted to regulate the processes of delivering goods to hard-to-reach areas of the country. An analysis of the newly adopted regulatory documents indicates a return to centralized state management of northern deliveries. Conducting research on the role of public administration in the process of implementing northern delivery and its impact on the socio-economic development of the North and the Arctic is timely, which represents the relevance of the article. As a result of the study, conclusions were drawn that state regulation of northern imports today is the basis for the socio-economic development of the North and Arctic of Russia.

Mechanical comparison of milled fiber-reinforced resin composite and Co–Cr frameworks with different connector cross-sectional geometries: An in vitro study

This study compared the effect of using milled fiber-reinforced resin composite and Co–Cr (milled wax and lost-wax technique) frameworks for 4-unit implant-supported partial fixed dental prostheses; and also, evaluated the influence of the connector's cross-sectional geometries on the mechanical behavior. Three groups of milled fiber-reinforced resin composite (TRINIA) for 4-unit implant-supported frameworks (n = 10) with three connectors geometries (round, square, or trapezoid), and three groups of Co–Cr alloy frameworks manufactured by milled wax/lost wax and casting technique, were analyzed. The marginal adaptation was measured before cementation using an optical microscope. Then, the samples were cemented, thermomechanical cycled (load of 100 N/2 Hz, 106 cycles; 5, 37, and 55 ᵒC, a total of 926 cycles at each one), and cementation and flexure strength (maximum force) analyzed. Analysis of stress distribution in framework veneered considering resin and ceramic properties for fiber-reinforced and Co–Cr frameworks, respectively, implant, and bone was by finite element analysis under three contact points (100 N) on the central region. ANOVA and Multiple paired test-t with Bonferroni adjustment (α = 0.05) were used for data analysis. Fiber-reinforced frameworks showed better vertical adaptation (mean ranged from 26.24 to 81.48 μm) compared to the Co–Cr frameworks (mean ranged from 64.11 to 98.12 μm), contrary to horizontal adaptation (respectively, means ranged from 281.94 to 305.38 μm; and from 150.70 to 174.82 μm). There were no failures during the thermomechanical test. Cementation strength showed three times higher for Co–Cr compared to fiber-reinforced framework, as well as flexural strength (P < .001). Regarding stress distribution, fiber-reinforced had a pattern of concentration in the implant-abutment complex. There were no significant differences in stress values or changes observed among the different connector geometries or framework materials. Trapezoid connector geometry had a worse performance for marginal adaptation, cementation (fiber-reinforced 132.41 N; Co–Cr 255.68 N) and flexural strength (fiber-reinforced 222.57 N; Co–Cr 614.27 N). Although the fiber-reinforced framework showed lower cementation and flexural strength, considering the stress distribution values and absence of failures in the thermomechanical cycling test, it can be considered for use as a framework for 4-unit implant-supported partial fixed dental prostheses in the posterior mandible. Besides, results suggest that trapezoid connectors mechanical behavior did not perform well compared to round or square geometries.

FORECASTING NPP PIPELINES RESIDUAL LIFE BASED ON EROSION-CORROSION WEAR RATE MEASUREMENT

The article is devoted to solving issues related to the assessment and forecasting NPP pipelines residual life, taking into account the rate of erosion-corrosion wear. (ECW). The article investigates the theoretical issues that arise when carrying out probabilistic calculations when forecasting the residual life of pipelines of the supply network. The authors proposed the use of a probabilistic-physical approach to assess the real technical condition and forecast the residual life, in the absence of failures. As a probabilistic model, we use DM-distribution (diffusion monotonic) distribution. Its parameters have a physical interpretation – average rate of determining parameter change (validity criterion) and the variation coefficient of the generalized degradation process. The residual thickness of the pipeline wall is taken as the determining parameter, and it is assumed that when determining such a section of the pipeline, it is possible to measure it.

System security enhancement using hybrid HUA‐GPC approach under transmission line(s) and/or generator(s) outage conditions

AbstractIn this manuscript, a hybrid HUA‐GPC strategy with unified power flow controller (UPFC) is proposed to enhance that security of power system under the condition of transmission and/or generator failure. The proposed hybrid strategy is joint implementation of Human urbanization algorithm (HUA) and Giza Pyramids Construction (GPC) and commonly named as HUA‐GPC approach. GPC approach is utilized to develop that search behavior of HUA. The main aim of the proposal is the operation and control of electrical system is to satisfy the demand continuously in the absence of failures. A new severity function is created with transmission line loads and bus voltage magnitude deviations. The proposed function and generation fuel cost are evaluated in contingency conditions of transmission line (s) and/or generator (s). System safety in contingency conditions is evaluated with optimal power flow issue. To improve system safety in contingency conditions in the presence of UPFC, it is essential to recognize an optimal position to install this device. To recognize an optimal UPFC position, in this proposal, a HUA‐GPC technique depending on line overload sensitivity index (LOSI) is evolved. The LOSI is assessed for every transmission lines in contingencies. An energy injection model based on UPFC voltage source, incorporation process and optimal location recognition approach depending on line overload sensitivity indices is proposed. The constraints are the constraints of equality and inequality. The proposed approach is then performed on the MATLAB/Simulink work platform and the efficiency is compared with existing strategies. The quality of the solution for the proposed system is analyzed in terms of best aptitude, worst aptitude, mean aptitude, SD, coefficient of variation and the error of best is 1110936.01, 1097382.12, 1107656.56, 1051.98, 0.075, and 0.82.

The use of reliability indicators in the design of die tooling of technological processes of hot die forging

The article discusses the use of a number of indicators of the reliability of the functioning of the hot forming process to substantiate the choice of the number of die inserts (die streams) and selection of grades of tool steels for their manufacture. There are such used reliability indicators as the probability of the absence of typical defects in the shape of the stamped forgings, the probability of predominant types of exploitative refusals of the stamp, and the absence of failures in the implementation of the technological process as a whole. The rationale for the expediency of choosing a pre-stream of the die for stamping an axisymmetric forging with a high degree of complexity taking into account the possibility of occurrence of such shape defects as clamping, shooting, and incomplete forging radii during stamping, is considered. When the choice of the grade of tool steel for die inserts was taken into account, there was the occurrence of such typical types of their exploitative refusals as adhesion wear of die streams, the formation of hot cracks and plastic crushing of the forming elements of the stamp streams. The appropriate organizational and technical decisions are adopted on the basis of a comparison of cost indicators characterizing the production costs due to scrap forgings. They are caused by the formation of shape defects during stamping and the occurrence of exploitative refusals of dies. In addition, there are the costs for the manufacture of more complex die tooling and its exploitation, i.e. production quality costs.

ТАЙМ-МЕНЕДЖМЕНТ ЯК ІНСТРУМЕНТ ОПТИМІЗАЦІЇ РОБОТИ МЕНЕДЖЕРІВ ІЗ ЗАКУПІВЕЛЬ

In the article the issues of optimizing the work of procurement managers are considered. Procurement is one of the most important processes in the activity of any enterprise. Timely and correctly organized process of supply of raw and materials ensures rhythmic and balanced operation of the enterprises. The absence of failures in the activity of enterprise is the result of properly organized work of managers, clearly defined plans for their work, lists of tasks and goals. Daily application of methods, techniques and technologies of time-management in the work of procurement managers is the main condition of their effectiveness. The author determined that today time-management is a philosophy of activity of managers. The provisions of time-management ensure the effective achievement of the goals of each individual manager and the enterprise as a whole. In the article the definition of «time-management», which are by various authors proposed, are generalized. On the base of these definitions the provisions of the functional purpose of time-management are defined. These provisions are: clear systematization and structuring of the list of tasks, reasonable goal setting, time rationing, coordination of tasks in time and space, time reservation, creation of favorable conditions for minimizing of time loss. In the article the algorithm of time-management is developed. This algorithm is a sequence of steps in each of which managers must make decisions about structuring tasks for the current period. The main questions of the algorithm are the priority and urgency of each task. The basis of the algorithm is a clear definition of the functional responsibilities and tasks of the procurement manager. At each phase of the manager's work (planning, organization, motivation, control) a set of different methods, tools and technologies of time-management can be used. The set of methods of time-management in the context of each function of the manager is clearly defined and generalized by the author. The practical value of the research is the proposition of the daily plan of the procurement manager in accordance with the provisions of time-management

ОПЫТ ЭКСПЛУАТАЦИИ ЦЕНТРОБЕЖНЫХ ОДНОСТУПЕНЧАТЫХ НАСОСОВ В АКЦИОНЕРНОЙ КОМПАНИИ «АЛРОСА»

When mining diamond-bearing raw materials and further extracting diamonds from it in the joint-stock company ALROSA, which is a city-forming enterprise in the north-east of the Russian Federation, various pumping equipment is used, in particular, centrifugal single-stage pumps. In the present work, it is noted that the least reliable in terms of absence of failures of centrifugal single-stage pumps used in the joint-stock company ALROSA are the impellers, seals and bearing assemblies. Using linear correlation and regression analysis, it was found that the durability of the seals and bearing assemblies of the investigated pumps largely depends on the durability of their impellers. In the course of research, it was found that unbalancing the pump rotor due to excessive hydroabrasive wear of the impeller also leads to deformation and fracture of the shaft. In general, residual deformations and destructions are characteristic of the shafts of domestic pulp pumps of GrAT, GrT and Gr types. The most loaded sections of shafts of centrifugal single-stage pumps are installed. The most effective from the point of view of application among the pulp (ground, slurry and sand) pumps are pulp pumps of the Finnish company «Metso». When working on highly mineralized water (brines), the «X» type pumps have proven to be the best among centrifugal single-stage pumps.

Study of Cross-Platform Technologies for Data Delivery in Regional Web Surveys in the Education

Web-surveys are a popular form of collecting primary data from various studies. However, mass regional polls have their own characteristics, including the following: it is necessary to take into account various platforms and browsers, as well as the speed of networks, if rural areas remote from large centers are involved in the polls. Ensuring guaranteed data delivery in these conditions should be the right choice of technology for the implementation of surveys. The paper presents the analysis results of the technologies sustainability to various regional conditions for web survey conducted within one week at schools throughout the Russian Federation. The survey involved 20 000 real educators. The paper describes the technologies used and provides information about browsers and operation systems used by respondents. The absence of failures in data delivery confirms the effectiveness of the solutions.

Robust Bayesian Reliability for Complex Systems under Prior-Data Conflict

AbstractThis paper considers the quantification of system reliability in scenarios in which data, that is, failures or the absence of failures, occurring from the system’s use over time, are consid...

Mechanical Complications Related to the Retention Screws of Prefabricated Metal Abutments With Different Angulations: A Retrospective Study With 916 Implants.

The present retrospective study assessed the clinical performance of abutment screws from prefabricated metal abutments and compared technical complication rates between straight and angled abutments. Dental charts were selected for patients with dental implant rehabilitations delivered between 1998 and 2012. Abutment angulation, prosthetic screw type, and presence of complications that occurred during the selected time period were collected. Technical complications registered included abutment screw loosening and/or fractures detected during clinical and radiographic examinations. The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Abutment angulations were divided into 2 groups: G1) prefabricated straight abutments and G2) prefabricated angled conical mini UCLA-type abutments. A total of 916 implants (799 straight and 117 angled conical mini UCLA-type abutments) were evaluated. G1 showed 91.1% had absence of failures, which were clinically defined as any screw loosening or fracture; and 8.9% reported some type of technical complication. G2 showed 92.3% and 7.7%, with and without technical complications, respectively. No significant differences were observed between abutment angulation and technical complications.

Reliability of pathogen control in direct potable reuse: Performance evaluation and QMRA of a full-scale 1 MGD advanced treatment train

To safely progress toward direct potable reuse (DPR), it is essential to ensure that DPR systems can provide public health protection equivalent to or greater than that of conventional drinking water sources. This study collected data over a one-year period from a full-scale DPR demonstration facility, and used both performance distribution functions (PDFs) and quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) to define and evaluate the reliability of the advanced water treatment facility (AWTF). The AWTF's ability to control enterovirus, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium was characterized using online monitoring of surrogates in a treatment train consisting of ozone, biological activated carbon, microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light with an advanced oxidation process. This process train was selected to improve reliability by providing redundancy, defined as the provision of treatment beyond the minimum needed to meet regulatory requirements. The PDFs demonstrated treatment that consistently exceeded the 12/10/10-log thresholds for virus, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium, as currently required for potable reuse in California (via groundwater recharge and surface water augmentation). Because no critical process failures impacted pathogen removal performance during the yearlong testing, hypothetical failures were incorporated into the analysis to understand the benefit of treatment redundancy on performance. Each unit process was modeled with a single failure per year lasting four different failure durations: 15 min, 60 min, 8 h, and 24 h. QMRA was used to quantify the impact of failures on pathogen risk. The median annual risk of infection for Cryptosporidium was 4.9 × 10−11 in the absence of failures, and reached a maximum of 1.1 × 10−5 assuming one 24-h failure per process per year. With the inclusion of free chlorine disinfection as part of the treatment process, enterovirus had a median annual infection risk of 1.5 × 10−14 (no failures) and a maximum annual value of 2.1 × 10−5 (assuming one 24-h failure per year). Even with conservative failure assumptions, pathogen risk from this treatment train remains below the risk targets for both the U.S. (10−4 infections/person/year) and the WHO (approximately 10−3 infections/person/year, equivalent to 10−6 DALY/person/year), demonstrating the value of a failure prevention strategy based on treatment redundancy.

Comparação do perfil de idosos ativos e não ativos do Programa Bolsa Família

OBJETIVOS: Descrever o perfil dos idosos do Cadastro Único da Assistência Social (CADÚNICO), da Secretaria Municipal de Assistência Social de Betim-MG e verificar se há diferença nas condições de vida entre ativos e não ativos inseridos no Programa Bolsa Família (PBF). METODOLOGIA: Estudo transversal com base nos dados secundários obtidos no CADÚNICO no período de janeiro de 2004 a janeiro de 2011. Os idosos foram divididos em dois grupos: ativos (aqueles que recebiam o benefício) e não ativos (aqueles que, apesar de cadastrados, não o recebiam). As variáveis sociodemográficas e de saúde analisadas para comparação entre os grupos foram: sexo, faixa etária, renda, raça/cor, escolaridade, estado civil, situação no mercado de trabalho, moradia e deficiência. RESULTADOS: Dos 8.555 idosos cadastrados, 14,1% eram ativos no PBF. A média de idade foi de 68 anos (mediana de 67 anos), com maior proporção de mulheres (58,0%). A mediana de distribuição da "renda" entre ativos foi de R$60,00 (Q1= R$40,00 e Q3= R$100,00) e de R$100,00 entre não ativos (Q1= R$60,00 e Q3= R$170,00). À medida que a escolaridade aumenta, menor a chance de o idoso estar ativo no PBF. Já para os idosos solteiros e divorciados, a chance de estar ativo no PBF era maior [OR 1,79 (IC 1,54-2,09); OR 1,46 (IC 1,20-1,78), respectivamente]. Sobre a presença ou ausência de deficiências, não houve diferença significativa entre os dois grupos. De modo geral, os idosos viviam em casa própria, construída com tijolo/alvenaria, com rede pública de água e esgoto, com iluminação própria e lixo coletado. CONCLUSÃO: O Programa Bolsa Família representa garantia necessária de renda mínima para o idoso em situação de vulnerabilidade social. Por outro lado, a comparação do perfil de idosos ativos e não ativos põe em relevo a limitação do programa, a saber, ser direcionado apenas aos mais necessitados, sendo incapaz de se estender, como direito, a todos cuja situação assim exige.

Fault Detection and Isolation in Multiple MEMS-IMUs Configurations

This research presents methods for detecting and isolating faults in multiple micro-electro-mechanical system inertial measurement unit (MEMS-IMU) configurations. First, geometric configurations with n sensor triads are investigated. It is proved that the relative orientation between sensor triads is irrelevant to system optimality in the absence of failures. Then, the impact of sensor failure or decreased performance is investigated. Three fault detection and isolation (FDI) approaches (i.e., the parity space method, Mahalanobis distance method and its direct robustification) are reviewed theoretically and in the context of experiments using reference signals. It is shown that in the presence of multiple outliers the best performing detection algorithm is the robust version of the Mahalanobis distance.

Field tests of the efficacy of zinc and fatty amine in preventing colonization by copper-tolerant fungi

Ground-contact durability of stakes treated with acidic copper formulations was evaluated. All test formulations incorporated copper, dimethylcocoamine and propanoic acid; one set of formulations also included zinc. Sapwood stakes cut from the southern pine group were pressure-treated to a range of retentions with each formulation and placed into plots within Harrison Experimental Forest in Mississippi and compared with untreated stakes and chromated copper arsenate-treated stakes. Stakes were inspected and given a visual condition rating after 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 years. Most stakes at higher retentions remained in good condition after 7 years; sporadic failures occurred in all but the highest retention of the zinc formulation. The sporadic nature of fungal attack by a fungus thought to be a strain of Antrodia radiculosa indicates that failures were caused by copper-tolerant fungi. At the concentrations evaluated, neither the dimethylcocoamine nor the propanoic acid offered adequate protection against copper-tolerant fungi. Addition of zinc notably increased decay resistance, and absence of failures at the highest retention may indicate that zinc can help to protect against copper-tolerant fungi. However, the sporadic nature of copper tolerance makes this finding difficult to confirm. Inspection of theses stakes will continue.

Discussions of “Fragility of Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Equipment”

In his discussion of the subject manuscript, Eidinger raises three arguments that our fragility functions “should almost never be used for performance-based earthquake engineering in the United States”: (1) the data have not been published; (2) disagreement between two sets of data for different equipment types do not make sense to him; and (3) datasets for individual component categories are heterogeneous. None of these points seems to support his recommendation. Maison questions the goodness of fit of the data to the fragility functions, suggests the R 2 values are likely to be low, and asks that we comment on the significance of that fact for the usefulness of base acceleration as the demand parameter for the fragility functions. Maison raises an important point—R 2 values are very low—but we suggest there is value in the fragility functions anyway. We first offer a detailed response to Eidinger’s comments, then to Maison’s. We conclude with some context regarding ATC-58 and an observation about the choices facing the analyst who wants to assess the fragility of MEP equipment with unknown installation conditions. (1) Unpublished data. The dataset we promised in the article have now (belatedly) been posted to the AGORA website, but the data needed to create the fragility functions all appeared in the paper itself, in both tabular and graphical format (Tables 6–20 and Figures 1–15). The only additional information in the data we uploaded to AGORA (the files named Damage and Height discussed in the manuscript Tables 1 and 2) are the earthquake names and facility names. That information makes no difference to the fragility functions. (2) Disagreement between two data sets. Eidinger complains that one set of specimens with some failures (engine generators) has a higher median capacity than another set of specimens for a different component category (motor generators). We have three responses. (1) It is unclear why fragilities for such different component categories should be reconciled. How could they be reconciled in any thorough, consistent way? (2) Higher excitation data and fairly low failure rates among the engine generators justifies the higher median capacity. (3) Absence of failures among the motor generators forces the analyst to use a conservative HCLPF-like approach. Such an approach necessarily assumes that failures would have initiated at excitations just a little higher than those observed among the specimens. (3) Homogeneity. Eidinger objects to what he calls a “glaring deficiency”: the “lack of homogeneity,” by which he means the specimens “all having the same relevant characteristics.” He asserts that we have “violated this fundamental statistical concept.” We think the fundamental statistical concept at play here is actually proper conditioning. Our goal for these fragility functions is to reflect the general

Distortion of process values by [formula omitted]-multiplet Reconciliation

Many process control systems must reconcile an N -multiplet, a set of N replicate values, to determine the single process value for use by control programs or for applying as external output. Replication is necessary to militate against random failures or to use multiple processing cores to attain acceptable run-time performance. Increasing use of multi-cores requires reconciliation that scales with the number of cores. Scalable generic reconciliation algorithms, suitable for hardware implementation, are analyzed. The algorithms are fast and guard against multiple random failures, but distort process values in the absence of failures. Distortion is the consequence of replication followed by reconciliation. The extent of distortion is a function of the number of replications and other parameters required for unambiguous reconciliation.

Multicoordinated agreement for groups of agents

Abstract Agents in agreement protocols play well-distinct roles. Proposers propose values to the acceptors, which will accept proposals and inform the learners so they detect that an agreement has been reached. A fourth role is that of the coordinator, who filters the proposals from proposers to acceptors. While proposers, learners, and coordinators are easily replaced, substituting an acceptor is prohibitive. Protocols that do not employ a coordinator are less resilient to acceptor failures. Protocols that use one coordinator are more resilient to acceptor failures, at the expense of one extra communication step even in the absence of failures. Moreover, they require replacing the coordinator as soon as it fails, a reconfiguration that, although relatively inexpensive, diminishes the protocol availability. Hence, either option, i.e., one or zero coordinator, has its drawbacks. In previous works, we have presented an alternative: multicoordinated agreement protocols. Such protocols are as resilient as single-coordinated protocols but require less reconfiguration to cope with coordinator failures. In fact, most reconfiguration can be done in parallel to the execution of the protocol’s normal steps. Multicoordination can be applied to several problems. In this paper we exemplify its use in solving consensus and then introduce a fast multicoordinated agreement protocol for agents organized in groups, an abstraction for fast local area networks interconnected by slower links.