A sequence of failures where one failure causes the next is known as a
Cascade Failure

A cascade failure is based on the idea that a breakdown starts with a single initiating event such as a leaky pipe or a computer software failure. This event, in turn, creates a series of other events (such as a broken valve or the water shorting of a piece of electrical equipment).

 

Each event, in turn, has the potential to create a series of other events.

 

A cascading sequence of events, branching from a single event, continues throughout the interrelated systems. This represents the sum of all possible breakdown models stemming from a single initiating event.

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