Abstract: A method for specifying the material of glass or glass ceramic components by either the minimum service life of a component as a function of a predefined mechanical stress or the mechanical resistance as a function of a predefined service life during which mechanical stress occurs. The method enables a leaner dimensioning of mechanically stressed glass and glass ceramic components.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and a method monitoring the health of structural joints by monitoring the strain developed near the joint due to perturbation applied away from that joint and comparing the monitored ratio between near field and far field strain to strain ratio which develops in a healthy joint due to comparable perturbation. The system for monitoring joints comprises: at least one near field strain measuring device installed near a monitored joint for monitoring the induced strain; at least one far field strain measuring device installed away from monitored joint indicating, measuring or producing the perturbation; and a data processor connected to said near field strain measuring device and to said near field strain measuring device for analyzing the response of the structure to the perturbation and determining the integrity of said joint.

Abstract: An evaluation indicator is calculated to determine whether or not servicing is required, from data for evaluation for a valve that is subject to servicing. An ID of the valve is recorded in a recording area AR1. A pre-servicing evaluation indicator for the valve is recorded in a recording area AR2. A post-servicing evaluation indicator for the valve is recorded in a recording area AR3. If only a pre-servicing evaluation indicator are recorded corresponding to the valve, then a status wherein the service has not been completed is presented together with the evaluation results that are indicated by these pre-servicing evaluation indicators, where if both a pre-servicing evaluation indicator and a post-servicing evaluation indicator are recorded, then a status that service has been completed is presented together with the evaluation results showing the pre-servicing evaluation indicator and the post-servicing evaluation indicator.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving damage information by a user interface device and quantifying at least one parameter of the damage. A structural analysis is performed to determine a damage allowability based on the parameter. An output result of the structural analysis is displayed from the user interface device. The system includes a compliance system having a database of structural information relating to the structure. A computer enabled user interface device is coupled to the compliance system. The user interface device includes a processor configured to access the structural information and display a location of the damage based on the structural information. The processor is configured to quantify at least one parameter of the damage. The processor is further configured to perform a structural analysis to determine a damage allowability based on the parameter and display a maintenance instruction based on the damage allowability.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for evaluating pipeline using GIS data. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for evaluating pipeline using geographical information system (GIS) data. The method can include receiving component information from a GIS database for one or more components in a pipeline; determining a modified maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOPm) for the one or more components; determining an uprating pressure (MAOPm*) that the one or more components can withstand; and outputting a upgrade recommendation or an uprate recommendation based at least in part on the MAOPm and the MAOPm*.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for monitoring corrosion or corrosive contaminants associated with liquid fuel. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for monitoring and predicting corrosion. The method can include monitoring corrosion or corrosive contaminants associated with liquid fuel in a fuel supply system of a gas turbine, predicting, based at least in part on the monitoring, a cumulative level of corrosion of one or more components associated with a gas turbine, and outputting information associated with the monitoring.

Abstract: A method for the determination of the diffusion tensor anisotropy or the surface energy anisotropy that does not require the formation of particular structures, and that is capable of being performed in cases of moderate-amplitude perturbations. The invention relates to measuring the temporal evolution of natural or artificial roughnesses, and analyzing the results in the firm of the 2D power spectral density for moderate-amplitude perturbations typically characterized by amplitude/wavelength ratios of the perturbation for a spatially defined perturbation having two wavelengths along two orthogonal directions, the ratios typically being less than 0.3.

Abstract: Methods and systems for assessing fluid dynamics aspects of corrosion and shear stress in piping networks are provided. Shear stress hot spots of a piping network may be identified using non-dimensional transfer functions that have been developed for identifying the magnitude and location of these local maxima depending upon the geometrical parameters of commonly used components of piping networks, the fluid properties of the flow, and the operating conditions of the piping network. Upon identification of potential shear stress local maxima, piping network operators may monitor these locations for corrosion or other damage to prevent loss of integrity of the pipes.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for predicting collector flashover is disclosed. The method includes receiving a frame of measured data from a data acquisition system, fitting a statistical model to the measured data wherein the measured data includes a plurality of measured variables measured at multiple time instances. The statistical model and the measured data are used for estimating one or more parameters for the frame wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of field circuit impedance and field current noise. A flashover is predicted based, at least in part, upon the one or more estimated parameter for the frame.

Abstract: One or more optical fibers (20, 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D), each with a second end (21) with a phosphor (26) disposed in a substrate (32) at a given depth (Dn) below a wear surface (34). A first photonic energy (52) is injected into a first end (19) of the optical fibers. The phosphor (26) emits a second photonic energy (54) into the fiber in response to the first photonic energy (52) incident on the phosphor from the fiber. When wear removes the phosphor (26) from one or more fibers, a detector (48, 49) detects a proportional reduction of the second photonic energy, indicating that wear has reached the given depth. A band-pass optical filter (46) may block wavelengths of the first photonic energy (52) from reflecting into the detector. The substrate temperature may be determined using a temperature-dependent emission of the phosphor.

Abstract: According to one non-limiting embodiment, a method includes accessing distributions of flight loads associated with one or more flight regimes for a fleet of aircraft. Using the distributions of flight loads, a factor for at least one of the flight regimes is determined that provides a flight load adjustment for a component on each aircraft of a fleet of aircraft known to be affected through at least load damage by the at least one flight regime.

Abstract: A battery system comprises a first battery cell and a first management unit which is connected in one-to-one correspondence to the first battery cell. The first management unit comprises a first parameter acquiring unit, a first calculating unit, and a first storage unit. The first parameter acquiring unit acquires a power consumption parameter of the first battery cell. The first calculating unit calculates a power consumption state value of the first battery cell on the basis of the power consumption parameter acquired by the first parameter acquiring unit. The first storage unit stores the power consumption state value calculated by the first calculating unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting fatigue induced failure of an assembly having a single flexible element or a series of flexible elements stacked in juxtaposed engagement, for transmitting power from one component to another, the assembly having a cyclic operating speed frequency includes at least one sensor mounted in proximity to said assembly, the sensor providing an analogue signal corresponding to an airborne acoustic signal emitted by the assembly, means for amplifying the analogue signal, filter means to reduce background noise from the analogue signal, an analogue to digital converter for converting the analogue signals to a digital signal, means for sampling the digital signals in respect of the operating speed frequency of the assembly and means for analysing the digital signals and providing an output upon the occurrence of one or more digital signal spikes in an operating cycle.

Abstract: The invention concerns an integrity monitoring system for monitoring integrity of at least a part of a stationary structure. The system comprises a vibration sensor for sensing vibration as a function of time, a computer, transmitting means for transmitting vibration data from the vibration sensor to the computer, means for acquiring position as a function of time data of a movable object, such as a vessel, a vehicle or a digging tool, where the movable object comprises a transmitter, and transmitting the position as a function of time data to the computer when the movable object is within a selected distance to a monitoring site. The monitoring site comprises the part of the stationary structure to be monitored and the vibration sensor is arranged to sense vibrations within the monitoring site. The computer comprises hardware and software for comparing the vibration data with the position as a function of time data.

Abstract: A computer implemented system includes an integrated logistics support system and a product integrity analysis system that utilize an integrated database. The product integrity analysis system includes a failure mode effects and criticality analysis (FMECA) application that is operable to access a plurality of distribution references, analyze a first and a second distribution reference from the plurality of distribution references, and calculate a particular distribution for a particular part type in the first distribution reference using an associated distribution of the particular part type in the second distribution reference.

Abstract: A method is described for determining a vehicle tire tread depth using at least one sensor situated in or on the vehicle tire, the tire tread depth being determined as a function of a tire contact area detected by the sensor.

Abstract: A method for probabilistically predicting fatigue life in materials includes sampling a random variable for an actual equivalent initial flaw size (EIFS), generating random variables for parameters (ln C, m) of a fatigue crack growth equation ? a ? N = C ? ( ? ? ? K ) m from a multivariate distribution, and solving the fatigue crack growth equation using these random variables. The reported EIFS data is obtained by ultrasonically scanning a target object, recording echo signals from the target object, and converting echo signal amplitudes to equivalent reflector sizes using previously recorded values from a scanned calibration block. The equivalent reflector sizes comprise the reported EIFS data.

Abstract: A brake monitoring system is described for use on aircraft having carbon brakes. The system displays the number of times the brakes have been applied in a preselected counting interval such as during each takeoff and landing cycle. By raising the pilot's awareness of the number of times the brakes have been applied, a more efficient brake use is encouraged in view of the knowledge that carbon brake wear is substantially a function of the number of applications rather than the total energy that is converted thereby. Additionally, the monitoring system provides an indication of the temperature of the brakes which encourages the pilot to maintain a minimum temperature therein beyond which wear is reduced.

Abstract: A system for measuring at least one parameter of moving cable, the system including a system power source, a digital camera adjacent a moving cable for taking digital images of the cable as the cable moves past the digital camera, the digital camera producing signals corresponding to the digital images, a signal processor for receiving the signals from the digital camera and for processing the images to produce processed image data, the signal processor for calculating measurements of the at least one parameter of the cable based on the processed image data, the system power source for powering systems devices, e.g., the digital camera and/or the signal processor. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).

Abstract: A system for providing traceable, verifiable complete MAOP or MOP information for a specific pipeline to users in an automated manner that is viewable continuously via a network. The system comprises a processor in communication with the network; a data storage in communication with the processor. The data storage includes computer instructions for identifying a specific pipeline, providing a unique identifier for the specific pipeline, collecting authenticated pipeline segment information related to the specific pipeline, collecting non-authenticated pipeline segment information related to the specific pipeline, automatically identifying gaps in MAOP or MOP data, automatically identifying gaps in user established MAOP or MOP; automatically filling the gaps in MAOP or MOP data, calculating MAOP or MOP for the specific pipeline, and showing valid and invalid MAOP or MOP to a user using an executive dashboard.

Abstract: A method for providing MAOP information for gas pipelines and MOP for hazardous liquid pipelines that is accessible continuously via a network. The method comprises obtaining a route identifier for a specific pipeline segment; collecting authenticated pipeline segment information related to the specific pipeline segment; collecting non-authenticated pipeline segment information related to the specific pipeline segment; calculating smart segmentation for the specific pipeline segment; identifying gaps in MAOP or MOP data based on the smart segmentation; filling the gaps in MAOP or MOP data; calculating MAOP or MOP for the specific pipeline; and showing valid and invalid MAOP to a user using an executive dashboard.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a plurality of computer instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the processor to perform operations for providing MAOP information for gas pipelines and MOP information for hazardous liquid pipelines, that is accessible continuously via a network. The processor performs operations including obtaining an identifier for a specific pipeline segment; collecting authenticated pipeline segment information related to the specific pipeline segment; collecting non-authenticated pipeline segment information related to the specific pipeline segment; performing dynamic segmentation, calculating smart segmentation for the specific pipeline segment; identifying gaps in MAOP or MOP data; filling the gaps in MAOP or MOP data; calculating MAOP or MOP value for the specific pipeline; and showing valid and invalid MAOP or MOP value to at least one user using an executive dashboard.

Abstract: Path classification and estimation method and system used in combination with a computer and memory for prognosticating the remaining useful life of an asset by classifying a current degradation path of a current asset as belonging to one or more of previously collected degradation paths of exemplary assets and using the resulting classifications to estimate the remaining useful life of the current asset.

Abstract: Path classification and estimation method and system used in combination with a computer and memory for prognosticating the remaining useful life of an asset by classifying a current degradation path of a current asset as belonging to one or more of previously collected degradation paths of exemplary assets and using the resulting classifications to estimate the remaining useful life of the current asset.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the health of one or more blades is presented. The method includes the steps of determining a delta TOA corresponding to each of the one or more blades based upon respective actual time of arrival (TOA) of the one or more blades, determining a normalized delta TOA corresponding to each of the one or more blades by removing effects of one or more operational data from the delta TOA, and determining a corrected delta TOA corresponding to each of the one or more blades by removing effects of reseating of the one or more blades from the normalized delta TOA.

Abstract: A rotary transducer has a detector device with a measurement sensor, used to generate a measurement signal representative of angular position and/or velocity of an object. The detector device has a rotary bearing and a material measure that can be rotated relative to the measurement sensor and is arranged in the measurement field of the latter. A monitoring device, connected to the measurement sensor, which can provide a state signal representative of the state of wear of the rotary transducer, is integrated in the rotary transducer. In order to be able to timely warn of mechanical failure of the rotary transducer, the monitoring device is provided with a register that can permanently store as value representative of the state of wear of the rotary bearing and is formed from the information relating to the angular position and/or velocity contained in the measurement signal.

Abstract: A method and system of monitoring a structure, the method including: a) synchronously acquiring data comprising a plurality of operational parameters and at least one strain data, b) building a significant points dataset from the data acquired in step a), and c) modelling a relationship between the operational parameters and the strain data using the built significant points dataset to train a non-adaptive prediction functional supervised approximation method, wherein the step of building a significant points dataset comprises deletion of redundant information from the acquired data. The resultant models may be used to process structure real operation data in order to estimate the eventual crack initiation and crack growth on a set of predefined locations of the structure.

Abstract: A method to determine a risk of failure for a machine including: generating a first value for a risk of failure of the machine, wherein the first value is determined by a first model receiving as an input a condition of the machine and the first model includes a relationship derived from historical machine failures and correlating the input condition of the machine to a value for the risk of failure; generating a second value of the risk of failure of the machine, wherein the second value is determined by a second model receiving as an input information regarding wear or degradation of the machine and the second model includes a relationship correlating the input information regarding wear or degradation to a value for the risk of failure, and determining a total risk of failure based on the first and second values of the risk of failure.

Abstract: A method to estimate the fatigue life of a component operable under cyclic stress is provided. A system including testing device for performing a strain controlled test of a component or a representative specimen of the component, to obtain therefrom a first set of data samples including measured stress amplitude values for varying applied strain levels, and a second set of data samples including measured number of cycles to crack initiation for varying applied strain levels is also provided. The system further includes a modeling device for fitting a first low cycle fatigue material curve on the first set of data samples and a second low cycle fatigue material curve on the second set of data samples.

Abstract: A system is presented. The system includes a data acquisition system that generates time of arrival (TOA) data corresponding to a plurality of blades in a device, a central processing subsystem that determines features of each of the plurality of blades utilizing the TOA data, and evaluates the health of each of the plurality of blades based upon the determined features.

Abstract: The method for monitoring ageing of at least one electric equipment unit comprises: entering and storing ageing computation data by type of equipment, measurement of physical quantities representative of environmental conditions, computation of ageing according to said measurements and to the stored ageing computation data, and communication and/or indication of electric equipment ageing data. Ageing computation in particular concerns the mechanical part and/or wear of electric contacts of an equipment unit, the electronic part of said equipment unit, and/or an electro-magnetic actuator of said electric equipment unit. The device and installation comprise means for implementing the method for monitoring ageing of at least one electric equipment unit.

Abstract: A mechanical seal monitoring system and method that measure the wear of seal faces of a mechanical seal where the mechanical seal seals a rotating machine portion from another portion of the machine. The system preferably uses a wear probe movable relative to a rotating seal component so that the wear probe can contact the rotating component. The wear of the seal is preferably determined by the relative movement that is required for the wear probe to contact the rotating component. Preferably, stress waves induced by the rubbing between the probe and the rotating component are detected by a stress-wave sensor, processed by a signal processor, and either displayed to the user numerically or reported to a monitoring computer. A signal intensity comparison method is preferably used to make the detection process insensitive to background noise generated by sources other than the contact of the wear probe and the rotating component.

Abstract: The present invention provides deterioration analysis method which allows a detailed analysis of deterioration, especially deterioration of surface conditions, of a polymer material. The present invention relates to a deterioration analysis method, including irradiating a polymer material with high intensity X-rays, and measuring X-ray absorption while varying the energy of the X-rays, to analyze deterioration of the polymer.

Abstract: An automatic monitoring and alarming device based on large strain of a power transmission tower comprises a solar cell (7), a wireless alarm sending device (6), an insulation basement (5) and a truss with great probability of generating large strain on the power transmission tower. One end of two invar alloy fine rods is respectively fixed on the insulation basement (5). The first invar alloy fine rod (1A) is fixedly adhered to the truss with great probability of generating large strain on the power transmission tower, and the arrangement direction of which is the same as the strain generating direction of the truss. The second invar alloy fine rod (1B) is sleeved with an insulation bushing (4) and is suspended on the outside of the truss with great probability of generating large strain. The solar cell (7), the wireless alarm sending device (6), a metal probe (2) and a metal contact (3) together form an alarm circuit.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus relate to measuring corrosion rate. Flowing corrosive fluid contacts a metal coupon or object and results in an effluent stream. The effluent stream contains metal from the object due to reaction of constituents in the fluid with the metal. Analysis of the effluent stream measures concentration of the metal therein. Since the concentration of the metal in the effluent stream is indicative of mass loss from the object, calculations provide the corrosion rate utilizing weight of the metal that is eluted, surface area of the object and exposure time of the object with the corrosive fluid.

Abstract: Through the methods of this invention, prognostics tools are provided to more efficiently and more accurately predict when a component product may fail. In a first embodiment a method is described whereby a number of environmental factors are monitored, the provided sensors obtaining raw data, variations in said raw data measured, the parameters of interest extracted and binned according to predetermined criteria, with the raw data thereafter discarded. In a second embodiment of the invention, the same sensor readings are recorded along with the performance characteristics for the component/product and compared to estimated performance for the product. The performance drift is then observed, whereby in monitoring said drift, trends may be determined and time or cycles to failure predicted.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include methods to manage non-destructive evaluation (“NDE”) data. The method includes receiving NDE data for at least a portion of an asset along with inspection information associated with the at least a portion of the asset, and determining at least one alignment algorithm to align the NDE data to a simulated model of the at least a portion of the asset based on at least one of the NDE data or the inspection information. The method further includes automatically aligning The NDE data to the simulated model with the at least one alignment algorithm and analyzing the aligned NDE data on the simulated model to determine coverage of the simulated model by the NDE data. Additional methods include retrieving NDE data that has previously been aligned to the simulated model and determining coverage or determining trends associated with indications thereof.

Abstract: Detecting damage in a structure without comparing sensor signals to a baseline signal. Once a structure is interrogated, a process based on a Gaussian Mixture Model is applied to the resulting data set, resulting in quantities for which Mahalanobis distances and Euclidian distances can be determined. A damage index is then determined based on the calculated Euclidian distance. A high value of this damage index coupled with an abrupt change in Mahalanobis distance has been found to be a reliable indicator of damage. Other embodiments may employ a baseline, but determine damage according to ratios of energy values between current and baseline signals.

Abstract: A hose fault detection system includes a hose assembly including a hose having first and second conductive layers. The hose assembly has an electrical characteristic. A fault detector is in electrical communication with the first and second conductive layers. The fault detector includes an indicator operatively connected to the hose assembly. A method for monitoring the structural integrity of a hose assembly includes providing a fault detection system having a hose assembly including a hose having a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The hose assembly has an electrical characteristic. The electrical characteristic of the hose assembly is compared to a threshold value. A visual indicator in operative communication with the hose assembly is illuminated when the electrical characteristic goes beyond the threshold value.

Abstract: An optical reticle inspection tool is used during a first inspection to obtain, for each set of one or more patch areas of the reticle, a reference average of multiple reference intensity values corresponding to light measured from sub-areas of each patch area. After using the reticle in photolithography processes, the optical reticle inspection tool is used during a second inspection to obtain, for each set of one or more patch areas, an average of multiple test intensity values corresponding to light measured from the of sub-areas. The first and second inspections use the same tool setup recipe. A difference intensity map is generated, and such map comprises map values that each corresponds to a difference between each average of the test and reference intensity values for each set of one or more patches. The difference intensity map indicates whether the reticle has degraded over time more than a predefined level.

Abstract: A structural health monitoring system comprising intelligent sensors, wherein the intelligent sensors are individually programmable and can be tuned to listen to specific frequencies based on a scaling factor based on the sensor's location in the system being monitored, a set of pre-known frequencies based on the sensor's location in the system being monitored, and the output of a central frequency-based system sensor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for estimating useful life of a seal in a process control device are disclosed. An example method includes establishing a plurality of travel ranges of a stem or shaft of a process control device. Each travel range corresponds to different values corresponding to stresses experienced by the seal of the process control device during an operational cycle. The example further includes determining a count of operational cycles associated with each of the travel ranges and estimating a total amount of useful life of the seal consumed based on the counts.

Abstract: A method and system for calculating pipeline integrity business risk score for a pipeline network is provided. The method includes a step of first calculating a structural risk score, an operational risk score and a commercial risk score for each pipeline segment in a pipeline network. The method further includes calculating pipeline integrity business risk score for each pipeline segment. The structural risk score, operational risk score, commercial risk score and pipeline integrity business risk score for each pipeline segment is rolled-up to calculate the respective risk scores of a pipeline network. The rolled-up risk scores are calculated by computing weight factors for each pipeline segment, relative risk scores weight of each pipeline segment and relative risk scores contribution of each pipeline segment. The system of the invention comprises executable files, dynamic linked libraries and risk score computing modules configured to display the risk scores using a dashboard.

Abstract: In a method for assessing a condition of at least one value document with regard to limpness, there is determined from transmission values representing the ultrasound transmission at different places on the value document a condition value which depends on a variation of the transmission values and characterizes the condition of the value document with regard to limpness. A condition of the value document is determined for the condition value using a preset criterion.

Abstract: A process for redesigning a distressed component in which the distressed component is under thermal and structural loads, for improving the life of the component. The process includes obtaining the operating conditions of the machine in which the distressed component is used, finding the boundary conditions under which the distressed component operates, producing a 3-dimensional model of the distressed component with such detail that the distress levels are accurately represented on the model, subjecting the model to a series of technical analysis to predict a life for the component, reiterating the technical analysis until the levels of distress on the model accurately represent the distress that appears on the actual component, and then predicting a remaining life of the component based on the analysis, or redesigning the model and reanalyzing the model until a maximum life for the component has been found.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for life management and monitoring of a high temperature gas turbine including components having a thermal barrier coating is disclosed. The method, system and computer program product uses design, monitoring and diagnostics, and inspection data to determine the cumulative damage and remaining useful life of gas turbine components and unit risk and classification probability to determine thermal barrier coating damage probability, remaining useful life, and inspection recommendations.

Abstract: A method for analyzing fatigue life of an elastomeric component includes a step of conducting a finite element analysis to obtain a base state. A plurality of case vectors are then selected to represent a space of possible loading states that occur within a time-varying load data signal based on measurement of the elastomeric component or vehicle dynamics. For at least a portion of the case vectors, a finite element analysis is conducted at a plurality of discrete gridpoints along the case vectors starting at the base state and tracking the case vector. Using an interpolation engine, desired local solution variables for a current state may be interpolated from the finite element analyses at the plurality of discrete gridpoints. A damage calculation may then be calculated based on the desired local solution variables for the current state.

Abstract: A condition of an object is evaluated with improved uniformity as compared to conventional schemes. For example, flaw types and severities associated with flaws potentially present in a certain category of objects are predefined, along with rules for evaluating the condition of objects of the certain category based at least on the flaw types and severities. In this manner, any user, expert or not, can uniformly evaluate the condition of an object merely by identifying and inputting the flaws according to the predefined flaw types and severities. In addition, the predefined flaw types, severities, and rules can be changed by a user or otherwise at any time, and different sets of predefined flaw types, severities, and rules can be generated for each of a plurality of different categories of objects, thereby providing a fully configurable and flexible evaluation system.

Abstract: Method for determining the remaining service life of a component of a vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle, operated on at least one predefined track section of a track network, wherein the remaining service life is determined for a vehicle component of the vehicle mechanically stressed by the interaction between the vehicle and the track section, after a usage interval of the at least one track section, wherein the remaining service life of the vehicle component is determined from a prior loss of service life preset at the beginning of the usage interval for the vehicle component and from a current loss of service life of the vehicle component associated with the usage interval, and wherein the current loss of service life is determined using an actual measured usage of the at least one track section by the vehicle and a relative loss of service life related to the actual usage of the at least one track section, wherein the relative loss of service life has been determined in advance for the at least one

Abstract: A system and a method analyze fatigue damage of a bottom hole assembly (“BHA”), and more specifically, use a multi-scale approach for fatigue analysis of a BHA. Three length scales may be used in modeling of a BHA, namely the BHA scale, the component scale and the feature scale. Loading conditions for each collar/tool of the BHA may be determined, such as by use of a beam model, and may be applied to the finite element models for the collar/tool to determine the fatigue damage of each fatigue susceptible feature of each collar/tool. A cumulative fatigue damage of each critical feature may be determined, and the weakest component of the BHA may be identified. Prognostic and diagnostic implementation with well survey and drilling data may monitor fatigue damage of critical components of the BHA.