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Integrated modular avionics (IMA) architectures host multiple federated avionics applications on a single platform and provide benefits in terms of size, weight, and power, which, however, leads to increased complexity, especially during the development process. To cope efficiently with the high level of complexity, a novel, structured development methodology is required. This paper presents a model-based systems engineering (MBSE) development approach for the so-called “distributed integrated modular architecture” (DIMA). The proposed methodology adapts the open-source Capella tool, based on the Architecture Analysis & Design Integrated Approach (ARCADIA) methodology, to implement a complete design cycle, starting with requirements captured from the aircraft level to streamline the development, culminating in the integration of an avionics application into an ARINC 653 platform.

The hydraulic actuators are used to power flight control surfaces of the aircraft and to ensure surface movement. A system of two or three actuators is usually designed depending on the surface and intuitively these actuators are considered as a redundant architecture from a reliability and functionality point of view. The proper reliability modeling of the system of actuators must consider the system's functionality and design constraints for the remaining available actuator hinge-moment in the event of a partial or total actuator failure. As a result, this will affect the reliability assessment of that design. Furthermore, this system of actuators is also designed to provide a second function involving an assurance of the surface stiffness and damping. Generally, this second function does not require necessarily the same number of available actuators in order to be fully provided.

This paper presents a generic Redundancy Management (RM) requirements definition process that is applicable to a complex system RM requirements development. In the aerospace industry, the ‘Aerospace Recommended Practices’ (ARP) 4754 and 4761 are typically used processes to ensure given safety and availability goals for complex systems. The process proposed in this paper is based on these standard guidelines and enhances them to provide a standardized process for the development of RM requirements with interactions between the system requirements development and the preliminary system safety assessment processes. The output of this process will help to achieve the following objectives: The system RM/failure monitoring requirements are defined commensurate with the system safety and availability requirements; the system is fault-tolerant to the degree necessary to meet the system safety and availability requirements; the system is robust and the system architecture is optimized.