Mathematics Commons^™

Load Sharing Models, Paul H. Kvam, Jye-Chyi Lu

Department of Math & Statistics Faculty Publications

Consider a system of components whose lifetimes are governed by a probability distribution. Load sharing refers to a model of stochastic interdependency between components that operate within a system. If components are set up in a parallel system (see Parallel, Series, and Series–Parallel Systems) for example, the system survives as long as at least one component is operating. In a typical load-sharing system, once a component fails, the remaining components suffer an increase in failure rate due to the extra “load” they must encumber due to the failed component.

Statistical Reliability With Applications, Paul H. Kvam, Jye-Chyi Lu

Department of Math & Statistics Faculty Publications

This chapter reviews fundamental ideas in reliability theory and inference. The first part of the chapter accounts for lifetime distributions that are used in engineering reliability analyis, including general properties of reliability distributions that pertain to lifetime for manufactured products. Certain distributions are formulated on the basis of simple physical properties, and other are more or less empirical. The first part of the chapter ends with a description of graphical and analytical methods to find appropriate lifetime distributions for a set of failure data.

The second part of the chapter describes statistical methods for analyzing reliability data, including maximum likelihood …