Reliability Centered Maintenance and

Risk Based Maintenance/Inspection

RCM
Reliability-Centered Maintenance is a method for developing and selecting maintenance design
alternatives, based on safety, operational and economic criteria. It is a method by which operators can
use its failure data, system design redundancies and operating experiences to develop a flexible and
cohesive maintenance system.

RCM began in the US commercial aviation industry. Because of the compact nature of the industry, the
risks associated with failures were easily divided into four criticality classes, (flight) safety, operations,
economics and hidden failures. These are typically still the categories used to develop a safe,.
economical maintenance plan. RCM was then applied to the nuclear industry and these four criticality
classes continued to work well. However as RCM is applied to other industries the range of
probabilities and consequences is becoming larger. It is therefore no longer practical to choose systems
for RCM based upon subjective risk importance.

RISK BASED RCM

Risk-centered maintenance (or RBI) uses the identical functional description of systems, sub-systems,
functional failures and failure modes that RCM employs but it is different in that the criticality class is
replaced with an explicit risk calculation. Using a quantitative value of risk instead of a coarse
assignment (criticality class), allows a more complete description of the actual hazards that exist on a
facility.

In RCM, risk assignments are made through decision logic trees and are coarse classifications. These
criticality classes may vary in name but generally relate to safety, production, economics and hidden
failures. Once a failure mode is classified into a criticality class, there are no further discrimination or
ordering of the category. The failure modes that fall into each category are all considered of equal
importance. In practice however there is usually an ordering system based on team or individual
judgement. The criticality class is meant to provide general information about either the importance of

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preventing the failure or to the nature of the failure itself. When the range of consequences is small, this
simple categorization is good enough.

The risk based approach replaces the criticality class identification with two separate fields, namely
probability (likelihood) and consequence. The product of these two, the risk, becomes an indicator of
each failure modes importance to the overall risk of the system. This independent assessment of both
the likelihood (probability or frequency) and the consequence of failure, resulting in a risk calculation,
provides a ranking system that is a unique benefit of the risk based maintenance or inspection programs.
With risk explicitly computing a numeric value, failure modes can be individually ranked from high to
low risk. This ordering list will provide a priority ranking for choosing maintenance tasks to mitigate
the occurrence of failures.

BENEFITS
The benefits of implementing a RBI program on a facility are many and varied. Benefits depend on the
type of program implemented, the goals of the program, and the facilitys previous inspection and
maintenance history.

Typical Benefits of RBI Program

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Regulatory Compliance

Improved Safety and Reduced Risk

Long-Term Cost Saving Benefits
Thickness Measurement Location Reduction
Improved Inspection and Maintenance Planning
Focus Inspection Resources
Use of New Technology

Informed, Documented, Defensible Decisions

Plant Performance Benefits from Risk Based Inspection Programs

RBI studies provide a detailed understanding of potential hazards and failure mechanisms related to the
possible loss of pressure containment in pressure vessels and piping. This information can provide an
excellent MI program, resulting in properly managed hazards. This improvement in MI approach
provides substantial cost/performance benefits in four major areas.

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Cos t and Performance Benefits

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Avoided Catastrophic Failure

Turnaround-Related Impacts

Turnaround Intervals
Turnaround Duration
Unexpected Damage Findings
Turnaround Inspection Costs
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Unplanned Outages due to Pressure Equipment Failure

Costs Due to Excessive Inspections on Low Risk

Equipment

Protecting Equipment from Excessive Wear and Corrosion

A comprehensive RBI analysis identifies the damage mechanisms of concern, as well as the potential
consequences that could result from pressure vessel failure. The complete program then establishes the
necessary inspection system to properly monitor and manage plant equipment.

Experience has shown that even excellent inspection programs sometimes miss the mark because:
! They often focus almost exclusively on visual and thickness measurement inspections. Other
mechanisms such as cracking, embrittlement, etc. may not be adequately addressed.
! They inspect low potential, low consequence equipment far more often than necessary.

RBI analysis defines the required inspection methods and the necessary schedule. Frequently, some
equipment requires additional inspection techniques because of damage mechanisms at work. More
inspections may be required in some equipment. In the vast majority, the required inspections can be
greatly reduced.

A comprehensive RBI analysis identifies the damage mechanisms of concern, as well as the potential
consequences that could result. The complete program then establishes the necessary inspection system

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to properly monitor and manage plant equipment. The cost advantages are dramatic. Total inspection
costs can typically be reduced by 50%, or more, using this approach.

A brief discussion of each RBI related performance benefit is given below.

Avoided Catastrophic Failure. The first priority of any MI system is to avoid catastrophic
failure, which could result in injury, environmental damage, or major financial loss. RBI analysis
provides the understanding required to properly manage pressure equipment integrity.
Turnaround-Related Impacts. RBI can be used to provide the following benefits:
! Turnaround Intervals RBI is used to define required equipment inspection schedules. This
information is then included in turnaround planning. Often, plant turnaround intervals can be
lengthened. This can extend average annual operating days by 1 to 2% per year, resulting in
substantial increases in production value.
! Turnaround Duration RBI analysis information often allows reductions of planned turnaround
duration. Proper inspection intervals frequently allow the inspection work scope to be substantially
reduced. This allows shorter duration when inspection requirements are on the critical path. It also
allows better turnaround planning with fewer surprises in execution.
! Unexpected Damage Findings Often equipment damage is discovered during a turnaround that
requires either additional unexpected work, extended turnaround duration, or both. This can have a
substantial unplanned cost impact because of both the additional work and the added lost production.
Plants can often reduce turnaround costs by 10% or more by using RBI information in the
turnaround planning process.
! Turnaround Inspection Costs Reduction of excessive inspection work during a turnaround is
normally achieved by using RBI defined inspection plans. This reduces turnaround costs for these
inspections. It also helps the turnaround by allowing planning and execution to focus on fewer
things.

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Unplanned Outages Due to Pressure Equipment Failure. Most equipment failures are not
catastrophic. However, they can still have significant impacts. Unscheduled downtime or reduced
operating rates may be required to repair damaged equipment. RBI analysis greatly reduces this risk by
better knowledge of damage mechanisms at work. An appropriate program can be established to manage
pressure equipment assets.

Costs Due to Excessive Inspections on Low Risk Equipment. The traditional inspection methodology
required a baseline thickness inspection for all equipment followed by one to two more inspections over
the next three to five years. Corrosion rates are calculated and then used to extend future intervals where
appropriate. This approach requires a major inspection cost investment, especially in the first few years
of the life of a plant.

Protecting Equipment from Excessive Wear and Corrosion. By understanding potential damage
mechanisms and using appropriate risk reduction techniques, the life span of equipment items can be
increased.

CONCLUSIONS
1) The Risk Based Approach benefits both the maintenance and inspection departments in prioritizing
inspection and maintenance activities.

2) RBI therefore compliments the RCM methodology but takes it one step further. Original RCM
analysis and data is useful for the implementation of a RBI program, but the risk approach takes both
likelihood and consequence into account and prioritizes equipment items and there sub-components
accordingly.

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