Reliability and covariance estimation of weighted k-out-of-n multi-state systems

Yong Wang, Lin Li, Shuhong Huang and Qing Chang

European Journal of Operational Research, 2012, vol. 221, issue 1, 138-147

Abstract: In the literature of reliability engineering, reliability of the weighted k-out-of-n system can be calculated using component reliability based on the structure function. The calculation usually assumes that the true component reliability is completely known. However, this is not the case in practical applications. Instead, component reliability has to be estimated using empirical sample data. Uncertainty arises during this estimation process and propagates to the system level. This paper studies the propagation mechanism of estimation uncertainty through the universal generating function method. Equations of the complete solution including the unbiased system reliability estimator and the corresponding unbiased covariance estimator are derived. This is a unified approach. It can be applied to weighted k-out-of-n systems with multi-state components, to weighted k-out-of-n systems with binary components, and to simple series and parallel systems. It may also serve as building blocks to derive estimators of system reliability and uncertainty measures for more complicated systems.

Keywords: Reliability estimation; Uncertainty; Weighted k-out-of-n system; Multi-state system; Universal generating function (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ejores:v:221:y:2012:i:1:p:138-147

DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2012.02.037

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