Generating an Algorithm File  (ALF)

The output of the Cause Consequence Analysis is a Risk Model which requires quantification and simulation. The Algorithm File is intended to capture the underlying logic, arising from the Symbols and their interconnections in a Model, and facilitate further processing. The ALF is a spreadsheet representation of the Model in Excel format.

ALFs can be generated on three levels:


  Hazard ALF

To Generate a Hazard ALF select the required Hazard in the Explorer tree. Press right mouse click and select Generate ALF.

NB Before an ALF can be generated, the Hazard must have been validated using the Verify function.

 

A spreadsheet is produced showing the Probabilities or Frequencies for each of the Symbols within the selected Hazard. This Spreadsheet can be saved or printed using the relevant buttons. A description of the formulae used to calculate the Probability or Frequency for each Symbol in the Spreadsheet is given below.

 

    Critical Event

Row 4 of the Spreadsheet shows the Critical Event and its Frequency/Probability.

This can determined in one of three ways:-

 

Columns L to O show the Local and Global Sensitivity and Importance of the Critical Event.

 

    Barriers

The Barriers are listed in Rows 8 onwards of the Spreadsheet..

The input Frequency/Probability in column G is the sum of all inputs to the Barrier.

The Failure Probability shown as P(N) in column I is calculated as follows:-

·         If a Formula has been entered for the Barrier and the System Configuration has been set to Use Parametric Formulae during ALF Generation , then this value will be taken as the Failure Probability

·         If the Barrier is fed by a Logic tree, then the outcome of this will be taken as the Failure Probability

·         Otherwise the Failure Probability is the value entered on the Failure field of the Barrier.

 

The Success Probability in column I is calculated as P(Y) is 1 – P(N).

 

The Probabilities for both Success and Failure outputs are shown in column J and are calculated as the input value multiplied by the Success or Failure Probability.

 

Column K shows the Symbol ID of the succeeding Symbol.

 

Columns L to O show the Local and Global Sensitivity and Importance of each output of the Barrier.

The Local Sensitivity is the Failure or Success Probability.

The Local Importance is calculated as the Output value for this Barrier divided by the Input value for the succeeding Symbol.

The Global Sensitivity is calculated as the Local Sensitivity of this Barrier multiplied by the

Global Sensitivity of the succeeding Symbol.

The Global Importance is calculated as the Local Importance of this Barrier multiplied by the Global Importance of the succeeding Symbol.

 

   Consequences

The Consequences are listed under the list of Barriers of the Spreadsheet.

Next to each Symbol ID and Description either the Rate per Annum or the Probability of each Consequence is shown in column G. This value is calculated as the sum of all the inputs.

The sum of all the Consequence values is shown at the bottom of the Spreadsheet as the Confidence value. This must be the same as the Critical Event value shown in cell I4. If this is not the case a warning message is output.

 

    Auxiliary Symbols / Splitters

The Auxiliaries are shown in columns Q to S of the Spreadsheet.

The first row of each Auxiliary shows the Symbol ID and the input value, which is the sum of all the inputs.

There can be from 2 to 5 succeeding rows for the Auxiliary depending on how many outputs there are. For each output the percentage weighting is shown in column S as a value from 1 to 99. The value for the output is shown in column R and is calculated as the input value multiplied by the weighting.

Columns T to W show the Local and Global Sensitivity and Importance of each output of the Auxiliary.

 

    In and Out Connectors

The Out Connectors are shown in columns Y and Z; the  In Connectors in columns AA and AB of the Spreadsheet.

The Out Connector value is the sum of all inputs.  The In-Connector value is the sum of all connecting Out-Connectors.

 

     Gates

Gates are shown in columns AC to AP of the Spreadsheet.

The output value of each Gate is shown in column AD. This is calculated in various ways depending on the type of Gate. Intermediate calculations are in columns AN and AO.

·         The output value of an AND Gate is calculated as the Product of the inputs

·         The output value of an OR Gate which has at least one Frequency feeding it is calculated as the Sum of the inputs

·         The output value of an OR Gate which has only Probabilities feeding it is calculated as: -      1- ((1-input1) * (1-input2) * (1-input3) etc)

 

Columns AE to AH show the Local and Global Sensitivity and Importance of the Gate.

The Local Sensitivity of an AND Gate is 1.

The Local Sensitivity of an OR gate feeding another OR Gate is 1.

The Local Sensitivity of an OR gate feeding an AND Gate is calculated as the Input value of the AND Gate divided by the input value of this OR Gate.

The Local Importance of an AND Gate is calculated as the Input value of the succeeding symbol divided by the input value of this AND Gate.

The Local Sensitivity of an OR gate feeding an AND Gate is 1.

The Local Sensitivity of an OR gate feeding another OR Gate is calculated as the Input value of the succeeding OR Gate divided by the input value of this OR Gate.

The Global Sensitivity is calculated as the Local Sensitivity of this Gate multiplied by the

Global Sensitivity of the succeeding Symbol.

The Global Importance is calculated as the Local Importance of this Gate multiplied by the

Global Importance of the succeeding Symbol.

 

 

     Base Events

Base Events are also shown in columns AC to AP of the Spreadsheet, below the list of Gates.

 

If a Formula has been entered for the Base Event and the System Configuration has been set to Use Parametric Formulae during ALF Generation , then this value will be taken as the Frequency/Probability of the Base Event. Otherwise the Frequency/Probability will be the value entered in the Symbol.

 

Columns AE to AH show the Local and Global Sensitivity and Importance of the Base Event.

The Local Sensitivity of a Frequency Base Event is 1.

The Local Sensitivity of a Probability Base Event (BE2) is calculated as (1- BE1) * (1-BE3) where BE1, BE2 and BE3 all feed the same Gate.

The Local Importance is calculated as the Input value of the Base Event divided by the input value of the succeeding symbol.

The Global Sensitivity is calculated as the Local Sensitivity of this Base Event multiplied by the

Global Sensitivity of the succeeding Symbol.

The Global Importance is calculated as the Local Importance of this Base Event multiplied by the

Global Importance of the succeeding Symbol.

 

 

     Additional Columns

Additional columns to the right of the Spreadsheet show each of the Parameters set for the PAD and the Distribution types for all Base Events.

 


 

 

   Project IALF

A Project ALF groups together all the Hazards of a single Project into one Excel File.

 

To Generate an Integrated ALF select the required Project in the Explorer tree. Press right mouse click and select Generate Integrated ALF.

 

NB Before an ALF can be generated, each of the Hazards must have been validated using the Verify function.

Also, as the IALF refers to data contained in the World ALF sheet, a World ALF must have been previously generated (see next Section).

 

The user is asked to select whether the ALF should be in Black and White – this is preferable if the Spreadsheet is to be printed on a black and white printer.

 

The user must then select a Loss Category. This will be the category selected for the Sensitivity and Importance of each of the Consequences on the individual ALF sheets.

 

The completed Project IALF consists of an initial Summary sheet, followed by the individual Hazard ALF sheets, and ending with the IALF sheet.

The IALF file is saved under :

C:\PROGRAM FILE\ISAE\DATA\projectname\ALF-padname.xls

This ensures that several IALFs can be saved for one project, each with different PAD values.

 

An additional Excel sheet containing the GLEE data for each Accident is also produced.

 

    The Summary Sheet

The first sheet of the IALF shows the Project ID and Name and lists all the Hazards included in the Project.

 

    The Individual Hazard ALF Sheets

The second and subsequent Sheets of the IALF (except the last) contain the ALF for each Hazard as described in the previous section. Each of these sheets is named after the Sheet number and the Critical Event ID.

The only difference from the Hazard ALF is that for each Consequence listed the Global Sensitivity and Importance for the selected category is shown in columns H and I. These values are taken from the IALF sheet.

 

    The IALF Sheet

The final Sheet of the IALF contains a list of all the Consequences in the Project together with the calculated Probabilities/Frequencies and the Loss values for each of the Risk categories.

 

The Probability/Frequency in column G is taken from the individual ALF sheet.

 

The values for each Loss Category (Worker Loss of Life etc) are calculated as the Probability/Frequency multiplied by the GLEE data for that Category as taken from the GLEE sheet, depending on the Accident Number assigned to the consequence.

 

The Local and Global Sensitivity and Importance for each Loss Category are also calculated and shown in the columns to the right of each Loss Category.

The Local Sensitivity is the GLEE value for that Category and Accident number.

The Local Importance is calculated as the Loss value for this Consequence divided by the Loss value for the succeeding Symbol on the World IALF sheet (usually an Integrated Consequence).

The Global Sensitivity is calculated as the Local Sensitivity of this Consequence multiplied by the

Global Sensitivity of the succeeding Symbol.

The Global Importance is calculated as the Local Importance of this Consequence multiplied by the

Global Importance of the succeeding Symbol.

 


 

    World IALF

 

The World IALF applies across all projects defined in ISAE.

 

To Generate a World IALF double-click on the World icon Hazard  Processing in the Explorer tree. Then expand the Mathematical Model icon. Finally double-click on Generate World IALF.

 

The World ALF can also be generated by clicking on the relevant toolbar button at the top of the Explorer Screen.

 

As before, all Hazards must have been validated before the World ALF will run. Also the Model Associations must have been previously validated. 

 

Before the World IALF generation starts a warning message is displayed informing the user that this process takes some time and that all World ALF files previously created must be closed.

 

The World IALF process creates an Excel file for each Project in the System and also creates a World ALF book listing the values for all Integrated Consequences.

 

All the World IALF files are saved under :

C:\PROGRAM FILE\ISAE\DATA\WORLD-padname\project.xls

These files are identical to the Project IALF files described in the previous chapter.

 

The World IALF book is saved under :

C:\PROGRAM FILE\ISAE\DATA\WORLD-padname\ALF-WORLD.xls

 

 

   The World IALF book

 

The World IALF book consists of 2 Excel sheets.

 

Sheet 1 (WIALF) contains a list of all the Integrated Consequences that have been defined in the Model Associations worksheets in column B.

 

In cell M1 the user can enter the name of a selected Integrated Consequence. This is taken into consideration when calculating the Global Importance and Sensitivity.

 

Column G shows the total Frequency for each Integrated Consequence, which is calculated by adding the Frequencies of all Consequences and intermittent operators feeding the Integrated Consequence.

 

The individual risk values for each Loss Category are shown in columns H to CN. 

 

The values for each Loss Category (Worker Loss of Life etc) are calculated by adding the relevant Loss Category values for all Consequences and intermittent operators feeding this Integrated Consequence.

 

The Local and Global Sensitivity and Importance for each Loss Category are also calculated and shown in the columns to the right of each Loss Category.

The Local Sensitivity is always 1.

The Local Importance is calculated as the Loss value for this Integrated Consequence divided by the Loss value for the succeeding Symbol on the World IALF sheet (usually an Integrated Consequence).

 

If this consequence has been selected in cell M1 then both the Global Sensitivity and Importance are set to 1;  otherwise -:

The Global Sensitivity is calculated as the Local Sensitivity of this Consequence multiplied by the

Global Sensitivity of the succeeding Symbol.

The Global Importance is calculated as the Local Importance of this Consequence multiplied by the

Global Importance of the succeeding Symbol.

 

 

 

Columns CU to DM list the Frequency and Loss values for each of the Consequences contained in the Integrated Consequences. These values are taken directly from the relevant IALF sheets and are listed on this sheet solely to prevent the equations for each Integrated Consequence from becoming too long (otherwise the complete directory and file name would have to be included for each Consequence).

 

Sheet 2 (WIALF2) shows the values of all intermittent operators used in the Model Associations worksheets.

 

The names of all Super Connectors are listed in column A, the names of all Splitters are in column C and the names of all IN/OUT Connectors are in column E.

For each Splitter listed in Column C, the percentage values for each split are shown below the Splitter name.

 

In column G the sum of all Frequencies for the intermittent operator is shown.

If the inputs to the intermittent operator are Risks then Columns H to CN show the individual risk values for each Loss Category.

 

Gates are shown in columns CO to CX of the spreadsheet. The Frequencies and Sensitivity/Importance values are calculated in the same way as the Gates in the individual ALFs. 

 

Columns DA and DB list the Frequency and Loss values for each Consequence and Critical Event referred to in the calculations for the Integrated Consequences. These values are taken directly from the relevant ALF sheets and are listed on this sheet solely to prevent the equations for each Integrated Consequence from becoming too long.

 

Individual Risk  Splitters are listed in columns DF to DW which specify the splits defined for each of the individual risk categories.

 

 

 

    Restarting the World IALF 

 

As generating the World ALF is very time- and space- consuming it is possible that the system will not complete the World ALF in one run. Occasionally it is necessary to re-start the World ALF generation from the middle using the Restart WALF Calculations item.

 Save WALF results into model

 When the World ALF is complete, before using the Apportionment function, the values calculated for each Integrated Consequence should be written back into the database using the Save WALF results into Model function.