An Approach to Modeling Postulated Software Common Cause Failures of Diverse Digital Instrumentation and Control Systems

Tate Shorthill, Han Bao, Edward Chen, Sai Zhang, Heng Ban

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

This work presents an approach to modeling potential software common cause failures (CCFs) within diverse digital instrumentation and control (DI&C) systems. CCFs consist of a concurrent failure between two or more components due to a shared failure cause and coupling mechanism. Defenses against CCF often rely on the concept of diversity which is a method used to reduce the commonality of components and lower the probability of postulated CCFs. However, the influence of diversity on software-based CCFs remains a topic of research. Software failures are caused by the activation of defects within software, the existence of which can be due to human mistakes during software development activities. It is hypothesized that diverse software may share defects due to common human errors made during their respective development activities. This results in a set of common defects that can lead to common failure of otherwise diverse software. This work proposes a modeling approach to directly identify the commonality of diverse software. The Bayesian and Human Reliability Analysis (HRA)-Aided Method for the Reliability Analysis of Software (BAHAMAS) was previously developed to assess software reliability by tracing defects to human errors within the software development life cycle. This work demonstrates an application of software BAHAMAS for assessing CCFs of diverse software configurations by considering their commonality of development. The new approach can support design decisions for implementing software diversity within DI&C systems.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023
PublisherAmerican Nuclear Society
Pages1100-1109
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)9780894487910
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023
Event13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023 - Knoxville, United States
Duration: Jul 15 2023Jul 20 2023

Publication series

NameProceedings of 13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023

Conference

Conference13th Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2023
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityKnoxville
Period07/15/2307/20/23

Keywords

  • Digital I&C
  • Diversity
  • Software CCF

INL Publication Number

  • INL/CON-23-73493
  • 158652

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