About Cutsets

A cutset is a combination of failures leading to the analyzed event (top event). A cutset is said as minimal when the top event is not reached, in other words, when the failure conditions do not apply.

A cutset provides a synthetic insight into what may critically impact the system in its environment.

This page discusses:

Cutset Types

To comply with safety goals, a system is analyzed with different formalisms, among which Fault Tree Analysis and the simulation of its dysfunctional behavior. These analyses lead to the identification of the minimal cutsets.

To design safety mechanisms, from a cutset, you can:

  • Identify single point failures
  • Analyze multiple point failures
  • Perform a common cause analysis.

Example

Here are two different cutsets:



The first cutset means that the failure (Jammed with angle) of the function "Set Outer Left Elevon Angle" (subfunction of "Set Elevons Angles") leads to the failure condition alone.

The second cutset means that if both the left elevons are broken loose, the failure condition is reached. Having only one of these two elevons broken loose does not lead to the failure condition: the cutsets displayed are called minimal cutsets.

Cutset Widget

The Cutsets Analysis widget is divided into three areas:

  • The top area: The failure condition analyzed by the cutsets analysis is defined.
  • The central area: Displays the cutsets as soon as the server receives them.
  • The bottom area: Displays the action bar