What is Fault Tree Analysis?

Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) is a top-down, deductive failure analysis in which an undesired state of a system (the top event) is analyzed using Boolean logic to combine a series of lower-level events. These lower-level events can be basic component failures, human errors, or other events which can lead to the top event. FTA is used to identify potential causes of system failure, assess system reliability, and improve system design. It's commonly used in safety-critical industries such as aerospace, nuclear power, and automotive.