{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T16:34:54Z","timestamp":1777566894977,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2012,1,12]],"date-time":"2012-01-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1326326400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) currently represent the best candidate to be adopted as the communication solution for the last mile connection in process control and monitoring applications in industrial environments. Most of these applications have stringent dependability (reliability and availability) requirements, as a system failure may result in economic losses, put people in danger or lead to environmental damages. Among the different type of faults that can lead to a system failure, permanent faults on network devices have a major impact. They can hamper communications over long periods of time and consequently disturb, or even disable, control algorithms. The lack of a structured approach enabling the evaluation of permanent faults, prevents system designers to optimize decisions that minimize these occurrences. In this work we propose a methodology based on an automatic generation of a fault tree to evaluate the reliability and availability of Wireless Sensor Networks, when permanent faults occur on network devices. The proposal supports any topology, different levels of redundancy, network reconfigurations, criticality of devices and arbitrary failure conditions. The proposed methodology is particularly suitable for the design and validation of Wireless Sensor Networks when trying to optimize its reliability and availability requirements.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s120100806","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2012,1,12]],"date-time":"2012-01-12T11:22:00Z","timestamp":1326367320000},"page":"806-838","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":156,"title":["Reliability and Availability Evaluation of Wireless Sensor Networks for Industrial Applications"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Ivanovitch","family":"Silva","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Computer Engineering and Automation, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universit\u00e1rio 59078-900, Natal, Brazil"}]},{"given":"Luiz Affonso","family":"Guedes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Computer Engineering and Automation, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universit\u00e1rio 59078-900, Natal, Brazil"}]},{"given":"Paulo","family":"Portugal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ISR, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Porto, Porto 4200-465, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3115-0901","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francisco","family":"Vasques","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IDMEC, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Porto, Porto 4200-465, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2012,1,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"877","DOI":"10.1016\/j.comnet.2006.01.005","article-title":"A survey on communication networks for electric system automation","volume":"50","author":"Gungor","year":"2006","journal-title":"Comput. Netw"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"46","article-title":"Wireless sensor networks for industrial process monitoring and control: A survey","volume":"3","author":"Zhao","year":"2011","journal-title":"Netw. Protoc. Algorithms"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Johnstone, I., Nicholson, J., Shehzad, B., and Slipp, J. (2007, January 12\u201316). Experiences from a wireless sensor network deployment in a petroleum environment. Honolulu, HI, USA.","DOI":"10.1145\/1280940.1281022"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Talevski, A., Carlsen, S., and Petersen, S. (2009, January 23\u201326). Research challenges in applying intelligent wireless sensors in the oil, gas and resources industries. Cardiff, UK.","DOI":"10.1109\/INDIN.2009.5195848"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1109\/MM.1987.305014","article-title":"Fault tolerance in process control: An overview and examples of european products","volume":"7","author":"Kirrmann","year":"1987","journal-title":"IEEE Micro"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1109\/TDSC.2004.2","article-title":"Basic concepts and taxonomy of dependable and secure computing","volume":"1","author":"Avizienis","year":"2004","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Dependable Secur. Comput"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"292","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1937-5956.2001.tb00376.x","article-title":"Operationalizing and testing normal accident theory in petrochemical plants and refineries","volume":"10","author":"Wolf","year":"2001","journal-title":"Prod. Oper. Manag"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ericson, C.A. (2005). Hazard Analysis Techniques for System Safety, Wiley-Interscience.","DOI":"10.1002\/0471739421"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.1145\/1530873.1530884","article-title":"SHARPE at the age of twenty two","volume":"36","author":"Trivedi","year":"2009","journal-title":"SIGMETRICS Perform. Eval. Rev"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"538","DOI":"10.1109\/24.46478","article-title":"Computing 2-terminal reliability for radio-broadcast networks","volume":"38","author":"AboElFotoh","year":"1989","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Reliab"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"230","DOI":"10.1109\/TR.1986.4335422","article-title":"Computational complexity of network reliability analysis: An overview","volume":"35","author":"Ball","year":"1986","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Reliab"},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"Hou, W. (2003). Integrated Reliability and Availability Analysis of Networks with Software Failures and Hardware Failures. Ph.D. Thesis,."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1109\/TR.2004.842540","article-title":"Computing reliability and message delay for cooperative wireless distributed sensor networks subject to random failures","volume":"54","author":"AboElFotoh","year":"2005","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Reliab"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kharbash, S., and Wang, W. (2007, January 11\u201315). Computing two-terminal reliability in mbile ad hoc networks. Kowloon, HongKong.","DOI":"10.1109\/WCNC.2007.525"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1132","DOI":"10.1109\/JSAC.2009.090910","article-title":"The availability and reliability of wireless multi-hop networks with stochastic link failures","volume":"27","author":"Egeland","year":"2009","journal-title":"IEEE J. Sel. Areas Commun"},{"key":"ref_16","unstructured":"Shrestha, A., Xing, L., and Liu, H. (October, January 29). Infrastructure communication reliability of wireless sensor networks. Indianapolis, IN, USA."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Shrestha, A., Xing, L., and Liu, H. (2007, January 22\u201325). Modeling and evaluating the reliability of wireless sensor networks. Orlando, FL, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/RAMS.2007.328105"},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"AboElFotoh, H., Shazly, M., Elmallah, E., and Harms, J. (2011, January 4\u20137). On area coverage reliability of wireless sensor networks. Bonn, Germany."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1235","DOI":"10.1016\/j.comcom.2010.12.016","article-title":"Poly: A reliable and energy efficient topology control protocol for wireless sensor networks","volume":"34","author":"Qureshi","year":"2011","journal-title":"Comput. Commun"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1076","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ress.2008.12.003","article-title":"Component-based modeling of systems for automated fault tree generation","volume":"94","author":"Majdara","year":"2009","journal-title":"Reliab. Eng. Syst. Saf"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hussain, T., and Eschbach, R. (2010, January 13\u201316). Automated fault tree generation and risk-based testing of networked automation systems. Bilbao, Spain.","DOI":"10.1109\/ETFA.2010.5641309"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1109\/TR.1977.5215060","article-title":"Computer-aided synthesis of fault-trees","volume":"R-26","author":"Lapp","year":"1977","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Reliab"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1429","DOI":"10.1007\/s11814-009-0253-0","article-title":"Development of a new automatic system for fault tree analysis for chemical process industries","volume":"26","author":"Kim","year":"2009","journal-title":"Korean J. Chem. Eng"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bruneo, D., Puliafito, A., and Scarpa, M. (2010, January 1\u20134). Dependability evaluation of wireless sensor networks: Redundancy and topological aspects. Kona, HI, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/ICSENS.2010.5690005"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bruneo, D., Puliafito, A., and Scarpa, M. (2011). Energy control in dependable wireless sensor networks: A modelling perspective. Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. O. J. Risk. Reliab.","DOI":"10.1177\/1748006X10397845"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bruneo, D., Puliafito, A., and Scarpa, M. (2010, January 28\u201330). Dependability analysis of wireless sensor networks with active-sleep cycles and redundant nodes. Valencia, Spain.","DOI":"10.1145\/1772630.1772637"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Silva, I., Guedes, L., and Vasques, F. (2010, January 18\u201321). A new AODV-based routing protocol adequate for monitoring applications in oil & gas production environments. Nancy, France.","DOI":"10.1109\/WFCS.2010.5548624"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Petersen, S., and Carlsen, S. (2009, January 22\u201325). Performance evaluation of wirelessHART for gactory automation. Mallorca, Spain.","DOI":"10.1109\/ETFA.2009.5346996"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Petersen, S., Doyle, P., Vatland, S., Aasland, C., Andersen, T., and Sjong, D. (2007, January 25\u201328). Requirements, drivers and analysis of wireless sensor network solutions for the oil gas industry. Patras, Greece.","DOI":"10.1109\/EFTA.2007.4416773"},{"key":"ref_30","unstructured":"Available online: http:\/\/ecee.colorado.edu\/liue\/teaching\/commstandards\/2010F802.15\/home.html (accessed on 9 December 2011)."},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"Available online: http:\/\/www.ieee802.org\/15\/ (accessed on 9 December 2011)."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"973","DOI":"10.1109\/JSAC.2010.100902","article-title":"IEEE 802.15.5 WPAN mesh standard-low rate part: Meshing the wireless sensor networks","volume":"28","author":"Lee","year":"2010","journal-title":"IEEE J. Sel. Areas Commun"},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"HCF (2007). Why WirelessHART? The Right Standard at the Right Time, HART Communication Foundation. White paper;."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"Available online: http:\/\/www2.emersonprocess.com\/siteadmincenter\/PMCentralWebDocuments\/EMRWirelessHARTSysEngGuide.pdf (accessed on 9 December 2011)."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Song, J., Han, S., Mok, A., Chen, D., Lucas, M., and Nixon, M. (2008, January 22\u201325). WirelessHART: Applying wireless technology in real-time industrial process control. St. Louis, MO, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/RTAS.2008.15"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chen, D., Nixon, M., and Mok, A. (2010). WirelessHART: Real-Time Mesh Network for Industrial Automation, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4419-6047-4"},{"key":"ref_37","unstructured":"Available online: http:\/\/www.isa.org\/Template.cfm?Section=Standards2&template=Ecommerce\/FileDisplay.cfm&ProductID=10766&file=ACF5AB8.pdf (accessed on 9 December 2011)."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4288","DOI":"10.1109\/TIE.2009.2021176","article-title":"Exploiting backbone routing redundancy in industrial wireless systems","volume":"56","author":"Ishii","year":"2009","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron"},{"key":"ref_39","unstructured":"Kushalnagar, N., Montenegro, G., and Schumacher, C.P. RFC 4919. Available online: http:\/\/tools.ietf.org\/html\/rfc4919 (accessed on 9 December 2011)."},{"key":"ref_40","unstructured":"Shooman, M.L. (1990). Probabilistic Reliability: An Engineering Approach, Krieger. [2nd ed]."},{"key":"ref_41","unstructured":"(1991). Military Handbook\u2014Reliability Prediction of Electronic Equipment (MIL-HDBK-217F), United States Department of Defense. Technical report;."},{"key":"ref_42","unstructured":"Rausand, M., and Hsyland, A. (2004). System Reliability Theory: Models, Statistical Methods, and Applications, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [2nd ed]."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Limnios, N. (2007). Fault Trees\u2014Control Systems, Robotics and Manufacturing Series, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.","DOI":"10.1002\/9780470612484"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"971","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ress.2006.07.005","article-title":"A practical method for accurate quantification of large fault trees","volume":"92","author":"Choi","year":"2007","journal-title":"Reliab. Eng. Syst. Saf"},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"319","DOI":"10.2307\/3212003","article-title":"A new family of life distributions","volume":"6","author":"Birnbaum","year":"1969","journal-title":"J. Appl. Probab"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"473","DOI":"10.1080\/15326349308807278","article-title":"Selecting and implementing phase approximations for semi-Markov models","volume":"9","author":"Malhotra","year":"1993","journal-title":"Commun. Stat. Stoch. Models"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"314","DOI":"10.1109\/TR.1985.5222173","article-title":"Algorithms for generating minimal cutsets by inversion","volume":"R-34","author":"Shier","year":"1985","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Reliab"},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.1109\/TR.1978.5220270","article-title":"Inverting and minimalizing path sets and cut sets","volume":"R-27","author":"Locks","year":"1978","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Reliab"},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sahner, R.A., Trivedi, K., and Puliafito, A. (1996). Performance and Reliability Analysis of Computer Systems: An Example-Based Approach Using the SHARPE Software Package, Kluwer Academic Publishers.","DOI":"10.1109\/TR.1997.664017"}],"container-title":["Sensors"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/12\/1\/806\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T21:48:27Z","timestamp":1760219307000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/12\/1\/806"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2012,1,12]]},"references-count":49,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2012,1]]}},"alternative-id":["s120100806"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/s120100806","relation":{},"ISSN":["1424-8220"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1424-8220","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2012,1,12]]}}}