Investigating the Latest Developments in Maintenance Modelling and Optimisation

Maintenance modeling and optimization are concerned with the study of the various aspects of efficient and effective running of capital assets such as production plant, building, military equipment and many others which need maintenance. These ranged from the modeling and optimization of routine inspection, preventive maintenance, replacement to upgrading. Maintenance modeling studies involve concepts and techniques from many disciplines, such as engineering, management, mathematics, statistics and operational research. The knowledge in each discipline is ever increasing. The interaction between the disciplines involved is necessary for successful and effective implementation of an established methodology. Results of maintenance modeling and optimization are important inputs to maintenance decision making regarding the schedule and plan of maintenance activities, which impact costs. This project seeks the support of a trvalling grant to visit some world leading researchers in maintenance modelling and optimisation. Four work packages are proposed and each is related to a distinctive feature of the research profile of the professors to be visited. Many of the work packages proposed have been studies by the professors to be visited in the host institutions and by the author of this proposal, however, a holistic and systematic way to explore the comparison and combination of the techniques developed and used is needed. We explore in the project how best utilizing the expertise and strength at each host institution to provide bridges between concepts, theory and applications, as well an integration of the various disciplines needed for the effective study of maintenance modeling and optimization with an applied orientation.