An Analysis of Early-Stage Functional Safety Analysis Methods and Their Integration into Model-Based Systems Engineering

2025-11-04

AI Summary

This paper addresses the insufficient integration of early-system safety analysis with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE). It comparatively evaluates three functional safety analysis methods—Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Functional Hazard Assessment (FHA), and Fault Feedback and Impact Propagation (FFIP)—and identifies FFIP as superior for detecting emergent behaviors, second-order effects, and fault propagation. Subsequently, it systematically reviews existing MBSE integration practices, categorizing them into four approaches: model transformation, custom algorithm development, built-in toolkits, and manual modeling. The study reveals that current integration efforts are predominantly focused on FMEA, while FHA and FFIP remain in exploratory stages, hindered by the absence of a unified framework and standardized guidelines. To bridge this gap, the paper proposes a novel, full-lifecycle safety analysis integration paradigm aligned with digital engineering transformation—enabling traceable, executable, and evolvable model-driven safety verification.

Technology Category

• Multiagent Systems: Other Foundations of Multi Agent Systems
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Other Foundations of Cognitive Modeling & Systems
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Model-Based Reasoning

Application Category

• Security and Privacy: Large-scale security measurements
• Semantics and Knowledge: Methods to enhance, augment, integrate or synergize semantic models such as knowledge graphs and LLMs
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Federated recommendation systems and personalization

Abstract

As systems become increasingly complex, conducting effective safety analysis in the earlier phases of a system's lifecycle is essential to identify and mitigate risks before they escalate. To that end, this paper investigates the capabilities of key safety analysis techniques, namely: Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Functional Hazard Analysis (FHA), and Functional Failure Identification and Propagation (FFIP), along with the current state of the literature in terms of their integration into Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE). A two-phase approach is adopted. The first phase is focused on contrasting FMEA, FHA, and FFIP techniques, examining their procedures, along with a documentation of their relative strengths and limitations. Our analysis highlights FFIP's capability in identifying emergent system behaviors, second-order effects, and fault propagation; thus, suggesting it is better suited for the safety needs of modern interconnected systems. Second, we review the existing research on the efforts to integrate each of these methods into MBSE. We find that MBSE integration efforts primarily focus on FMEA, and integration of FHA and FFIP is nascent. Additionally, FMEA-MBSE integration efforts could be organized into four categories: model-to-model transformation, use of external customized algorithms, built-in MBSE packages, and manual use of standard MBSE diagrams. While our findings indicate a variety of MBSE integration approaches, there is no universally established framework or standard. This leaves room for an integration approach that could support the ongoing Digital Engineering transformation efforts by enabling a more synergistic lifecycle safety management methods and tools.

Problem

• Analyzing safety analysis methods for early-stage risk identification in complex systems
• Comparing FMEA FHA and FFIP techniques for modern interconnected systems safety
• Investigating MBSE integration approaches for synergistic lifecycle safety management

Innovation

• FFIP identifies emergent behaviors and fault propagation
• MBSE integration focuses primarily on FMEA methods
• Four categories organize FMEA-MBSE integration approaches