Skip to main content

The Application of Bayesian Belief Networks to Assurance Case Preparation

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:

Abstract

Designers of dependable systems need to present assurance cases that support the claims made about the system’s dependability. Building this assurance case, incorporating different types of evidence and reasoning, can be daunting. In this paper we argue that, thanks to their flexibility and expressive capabilities, Bayesian Belief Networks are particularly suitable for building such assurance cases. Drawing on our experience preparing and presenting an assurance case to certify a software product to IEC 61508 Safety Integrity Level 3, we describe how Bayesian Belief Networks can be used to simplify both the engineer’s work in preparing the case, and the auditor’s or customer’s work in checking this case for coherence and completeness

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Agena (2004) Agena’s Bayesian network technology. Whitepaper

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouissoe M, Martin F, Ourghanlian A (1999) Assessment of a safety-critical system includingsoftware: a Bayesian belief network for evidence sources. In: Proc Annu Reliab MaintainabSymp

    Google Scholar 

  • Fenton NE, Neil M (2004) Combining evidence in risk analysis using Bayesian networks.Safety-Critical Systems Club Newsletter 14(1)8-13

    Google Scholar 

  • Fenton N, Littlewood B, Neil M, Strigini L, Sutcliffe A, Wright D (1998) Assessing dependability of safety critical systems using diverse evidence. IEE Proc Softw Eng 145:35–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cozman FG (2004) Axiomatizing Noisy-OR. Proc 16th Eur Conf Artif Intell (ECAI-04)

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo B (2003) Knowledge representation and uncertainty management: applying Bayesian beliefnetworks to a safety assessment expert system. Proc Int Conf Nat Lang Process Knowl Eng

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson D, Thomas M, Millett L (eds) (2007) Software for dependable systems: sufficient evidence? The National Academies Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Krieg ML (2001) A tutorial on Bayesian belief networks. Tech. Rep. DSTO-TN-0403. DefenceScience and Technology Organisation (Australia)

    Google Scholar 

  • Littlewood B, Strigini L, Wright D, Courtois P-J (1998) Examination of Bayesian belief networkfor safety assessment of nuclear computer-based systems. DeVa TR70

    Google Scholar 

  • MoD (2007) Safety management requirements for defence systems. Defence Standard 00–56.Ministry of Defence

    Google Scholar 

  • Norsys (2008) Noisy-OR, -And, -Max and -Sum nodes in Netica. Norsys Net Library

    Google Scholar 

  • Norsys (2010) Netica API: programmer’s library, reference manual

    Google Scholar 

  • Pólya G (1990) Mathematics and plausible reasoning, volume 1: induction and analogy inmathematics. 3rd edn. Princeton University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • SERENE (1999) Safety and risk evaluation using Bayesian nets: SERENE. Tech. Rep.SERENE/5.3/CSR/3053/R/1. The Serene Partners

    Google Scholar 

  • Watt EW, Bui AA (2008) Evaluation of a dynamic Bayesian belief network to predict osteoarthritic knee pain using data from the osteoarthritis initiative. AMIA Annu Symp Proc

    Google Scholar 

  • Zagorecki A, Druzdzel MJ (2004) An empirical study of probability elicitation under noisy-orassumption. In: Barr V, Markov Z (eds) FLAIRS conference. AAAI Press

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag London Limited

About this paper

Cite this paper

Hobbs, C., Lloyd, M. (2012). The Application of Bayesian Belief Networks to Assurance Case Preparation. In: Dale, C., Anderson, T. (eds) Achieving Systems Safety. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2494-8_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2494-8_12

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-2493-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-2494-8

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics