Abstract:
This case study involves an analysis of rmware that controls explosions in mining operations.
The purpose is to estimate the probability that external disruptive events (such as electro-
magnetic interference) could drive the rmware into a state which results in an unintended
explosion. Two probabilistic models are built, based on two possible types of disruptive
events: a single spike of interference, and a burst of multiple spikes of interference. The
models suggest that the system conforms to the IEC 61508 Safety Integrity Levels, even
under very conservative assumptions of operation. The case study serves as a platform for
future researchers to build on when modelling probabilistic soft errors in other contexts.
