Computing subsignatures of systems with exchangeable component lifetimes

The subsignatures of a system with continuous and exchangeable component lifetimes form a class of indexes ranging from the Samaniego signature to the Barlow–Proschan importance index. These indexes can be computed through explicit linear expressions involving the values of the structure function of the system. We show how the subsignatures can be computed more efficiently from the reliability function of the system via identifications of variables, differentiations, and integrations.     

Uniqueness properties of higher order dispersive equations

In this paper we study unique continuation properties of solutions to higher (fifth) order nonlinear dispersive models. The aim is to show that if the difference of two solutions of the equations, u₁−u₂, decays sufficiently fast at infinity at two different times, then u₁≡u₂.     

Comparisons and bounds for expected lifetimes of reliability systems

Sharp bounds on expectations of lifetimes of coherent and mixed systems composed of elements with independent and either identically or non-identically distributed lifetimes are expressed in terms of expected lifetimes of components. Similar evaluations are concluded for the respective mean residual lifetimes. In the IID case, improved inequalities dependent on a concentration parameter connected to the Gini dispersion index are obtained. The results can be used to compare systems with component lifetimes ordered in the convex ordering. In the INID case, some refined bounds are derived in terms of the expected lifetimes of series systems of smaller sizes, and the expected lifetime of single unit for the equivalent systems with IID components. The latter can be further simplified in the case of weak Schur-concavity and Schur-convexity of the system generalized domination polynomial.     

Statistical inference for coherent systems with Weibull distributed component lifetimes under complete and incomplete information

Point estimators for the parameters of the component lifetime distribution in coherent systems are evolved assuming to be independently and identically Weibull distributed component lifetimes. We study both complete and incomplete information under continuous monitoring of the essential component lifetimes. First, we prove that the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) under complete information based on progressively Type‐II censored system lifetimes uniquely exists and we present two approaches to compute the estimates. Furthermore, we consider an ad hoc estimator, a max‐probability plan estimator and the MLE for the parameters under incomplete information. In order to compute the MLEs, we consider a direct maximization of the likelihood and an EM‐algorithm–type approach, respectively. In all cases, we illustrate the results by simulations of the five‐component bridge system and the 10‐component parallel system, respectively.     

Integro-differential systems of mixed type involving higher order fractional Laplacian

In this paper, we deal with a new class of non-local operators that we term integro-differential systems of mixed type. We study the behaviour of solutions of this system when the diffusion term involves higher order fractional powers of the Laplacian. Moreover, we prove that the solution of the system decays faster than a power with an exponent given by the smallest index of the fractional power of the Laplacian.     

Stochastic comparisons of series and parallel systems with generalized linear failure rate components

In this paper, we discuss stochastic comparisons of series and parallel systems comprising independent and heterogeneous generalized linear failure rate components. When a system with possibly different shape and scale parameters has its matrix of parameters changing to another matrix of parameters in a certain mathematical sense, we examine the usual stochastic order of the smallest and largest order statistics under such a setup. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On relevation transform involved with statistical dependence between two component lifetimes

Krakowski (Rev Fr Autom Inform Rech Opèr. 1973;7:107–120.) introduced the relevation transform for component and active redundancy with independent lifetimes, and except for Johnson and Kotz (Am J Math Manag Sci. 1981;1:155–165; Nav Res Logist. 1983;30:163–169.) most subsequent researches were conducted under this framework. However, it is not uncommon that a component and its active redundancy bear some common stresses due to the environment and thus they have dependent lifetimes. In this note, we equip the involved lifetimes with a survival copula and then clarify the potential difference between the new and classical versions through making stochastic comparison. Moreover, by ordering the lifetime of system with relevation redundancy we also study the way of allocating a relevation redundancy at component level to ultimately improve the system reliability. The present results on series and parallel systems serve as a generalization of the corresponding ones of Belzunce et al. (Appl Stoch Models Bus Ind. 2019;35:492–503.). Several numerical examples are presented to illustrate these findings as well.     

Riemann-Hilbert problem for first order complex equations of mixed type with degenerate curve

This paper considers the Riemann-Hilbert problem for linear mixed（elliptichyperbolic） complex equations of first order with degenerate curve in a simply connected domain. We first give the representation theorem and uniqueness of solutions for such boundary value problem. Then by using the methods of successive iteration and parameter extension, the existence of solutions for this problem is proved.     

High‐order compact schemes for fractional differential equations with mixed derivatives

In this article, we consider two‐dimensional fractional subdiffusion equations with mixed derivatives. A high‐order compact scheme is proposed to solve the problem. We establish a sufficient condition and show that the scheme converges with fourth order in space and second order in time under this condition.© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 33: 2141–2158, 2017     

Comparisons in the mean residual life order of coherent systems with identically distributed components

The comparisons of the performance of coherent systems (under different stochastic criteria) is an important task in the reliability theory. Several results have been obtained in the literature for the stochastic, hazard rate and likelihood ratio orders. In this paper, we obtain comparison results for the mean residual life order of coherent systems with identically distributed (ID) component lifetimes. These results can be applied not only to the usual case of systems with independent and identically distributed components but also to the case of systems with exchangeable components and to the more general case of just ID components. The results obtained are based on the representation of the system distribution as a distorted distribution of the common components' distribution. Some specific comparison results are given to illustrate the theoretical results. The comparison results for distorted distributions given here can also be applied to other statistical concepts such as order statistics, generalized order statistics or record values. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Global existence and uniform decay of solutions for a system of wave equations with dispersive and dissipative terms

In this paper, we consider a system of two coupled wave equations with dispersive and viscosity dissipative terms under Dirichlet boundary conditions. The global existence of weak solutions as well as uniform decay rates (exponential one) of the solution energy are established.     

Exponential synchronization for fractional‐order chaotic systems with mixed uncertainties

This article focuses on the problem of exponential synchronization for fractional‐order chaotic systems via a nonfragile controller. A criterion for α‐exponential stability of an error system is obtained using the drive‐response synchronization concept together with the Lyapunov stability theory and linear matrix inequalities approach. The uncertainty in system is considered with polytopic form together with structured form. The sufficient conditions are derived for two kinds of structured uncertainty, namely, (1) norm bounded one and (2) linear fractional transformation one. Finally, numerical examples are presented by taking the fractional‐order chaotic Lorenz system and fractional‐order chaotic Newton–Leipnik system to illustrate the applicability of the obtained theory. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 114–125, 2015     

Transformation of high order linear differential-algebraic systems to first order

We study general nonsquare linear systems of differential-algebraic systems of arbitrary order. We analyze the classical procedure of turning the system into a first order system and demonstrate that this approach may lead to different solvability results and smoothness requirements. We present several examples that demonstrate this phenomenon and then derive existence and uniqueness results for differential-algebraic systems of arbitrary order and index. We use these results to identify exactly those variables for which the order reduction to first order does not lead to extra smoothness requirements and demonstrate the effects of this new formulation with a numerical example.Dedicated to Richard S. Varga on the occasion of his 77th birthday.     

An existence result for a class of second order evolution equations of mixed type

We give an existence and uniqueness result for a linear abstract evolution equation of second order with some coefficient in front of the second temporal derivative which may degenerate to zero and change sign.     

A mixed hp FEM for the approximation of fourth‐order singularly perturbed problems on smooth domains

We consider fourth‐order singularly perturbed problems posed on smooth domains and the approximation of their solution by a mixed Finite Element Method on the so‐called Spectral Boundary Layer Mesh. We show that the method converges uniformly, with respect to the singular perturbation parameter, at an exponential rate when the error is measured in the energy norm. Numerical examples illustrate our theoretical findings.     

Sequential order statistics and k-out-of-n systems with sequentially adjusted failure rates

k-out-of-n systems frequently appear in applications. They consist of n components of the same kind with independent and identically distributed life-lengths. The life-length of such a system is described by the (n–k+1)-th order statistic in a sample of size n when assuming that remaining components are not affected by failures. Sequential order statistics are introduced as a more flexible model to describe sequential k-out-of-n systems in which the failure of any component possibly influences the other components such that their underlying failure rate is parametrically adjusted with respect to the number of preceding failures. Useful properties of the maximum likelihood estimators of the model parameters are shown, and several tests are proposed to decide whether the new model is the more appropriate one in a given situation. Moreover, for specific distributions, e.g. Weibull distributions, simultaneous maximum likelihood estimation of the model parameters and distribution parameters is considered.     

Optimal convergence analysis of mixed finite element methods for fourth‐order elliptic and parabolic problems

By using a special interpolation operator developed by Girault and Raviart (finite element methods for Navier‐Stokes Equations, Springer‐Verlag, Berlin, 1986), we prove that optimal error bounds can be obtained for a fourth‐order elliptic problem and a fourth‐order parabolic problem solved by mixed finite element methods on quasi‐uniform rectangular meshes. Optimal convergence is proved for all continuous tensor product elements of order k ≥ 1. A numerical example is provided for solving the fourth‐order elliptic problem using the bilinear element. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2006     

Multiple periodic solutions for second order systems with changing sign potential

This paper deals with the multiplicity of solutions of a second order nonautonomous system. We extend a previous result of the author relaxing the assumptions on the sign of the potential.