On the mean residual life of a k-out-of-n:G system with a single cold standby component

The concept of mean residual life is one of the most important characteristics that has been widely used in dynamic reliability analysis. It is a useful tool for investigating ageing properties of technical systems. In this paper, we define and study three different mean residual life functions for k-out-of-n:G system with a single cold standby component. In particular, we obtain explicit expressions for the corresponding functions using distributions of order statistics. We also provide some stochastic ordering results associated with the lifetime of a system. We illustrate the results for various lifetime distributions.     

Some fuzzy stochastic orderings for fuzzy random variables

A new approach to stochastic ordering of fuzzy random variables is investigated in this paper. The traditional definitions of stochastic ordering, hazard rate ordering, and also mean residual life ordering were extended and proposed the unified indexes to ranking fuzzy random variables. Finally, we study the stochastic ordering of fuzzy order statistics by using our proposed approach and established some properties.     

Mean residual life order of convolutions of heterogeneous exponential random variables

In this paper, we study convolutions of heterogeneous exponential random variables with respect to the mean residual life order. By introducing a new partial order (reciprocal majorization order), we prove that this order between two parameter vectors implies the mean residual life order between convolutions of two heterogeneous exponential samples. For the 2-dimensional case, it is shown that there exists a stronger equivalence. We discuss, in particular, the case when one convolution involves identically distributed variables, and show in this case that the mean residual life order is actually associated with the harmonic mean of parameters. Finally, we derive the “best gamma bounds” for the mean residual life function of any convolution of exponential distributions under this framework.     

Reliability bounds on HNBUE life distributions with known first two moments

In this paper, we study upper and lower bounds for the reliability function in harmonic new better than used in expectation (HNBUE) life distribution class with known first two moments. Here we say a life distribution has HNBUE property if the integral harmonic mean value of the residual life in any interval [0,t] is no more than its mean. By a constructive proof, we determine the lower and upper reliability bounds analytically and show that these bounds are all sharp.     

失效单调关联系统中可存活元件的剩余寿命的混合表示

本文中研究的是由$n$个独立同分布元件构成的单调关联系统,当该单调关联系统失效时得到了系统中可存活元件的剩余寿命的可靠性函数的混合表示.基于signature的概念,对两个系统的剩余寿命进行了随机比较.     

Stochastic comparisons of multivariate mixture models

In this paper we consider sufficient conditions in order to stochastically compare random vectors of multivariate mixture models. In particular we consider stochastic and convex orders, the likelihood ratio order, and the hazard rate and mean residual life dynamic orders. Applications to proportional hazard models and mixture models in risk theory are also given.     

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.     

Percentile residual life orders

In this paper we study a family of stochastic orders of random variables defined via the comparison of their percentile residual life functions. Some interpretations of these stochastic orders are given, and various properties of them are derived. The relationships to other stochastic orders are also studied. Finally, some applications in reliability theory and finance are described. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optimum Burn-in Time for a Bathtub Shaped Failure Distribution

An important problem in reliability is to define and estimate the optimal burn-in time. For bathtub shaped failure-rate lifetime distributions, the optimal burn-in time is frequently defined as the point where the corresponding mean residual life function achieves its maximum. For this point, we construct an empirical estimator and develop the corresponding statistical inferential theory. Theoretical results are accompanied with simulation studies and applications to real data. Furthermore, we develop a statistical inferential theory for the difference between the minimum point of the corresponding failure rate function and the aforementioned maximum point of the mean residual life function. The difference measures the length of the time interval after the optimal burn-in time during which the failure rate function continues to decrease and thus the burn-in process can be stopped.      

Cumulative measures of information and stochastic orders

In this paper we present some known results on cumulative measures of information, study their properties and relate these definitions to concepts of reliability theory. We give some relations of these measures of discrimination with some well-known stochastic orders and with the relative reversed hazard rate order. We investigate also a stochastic comparison among the empirical cumulative measures that can be related to the cumulative measures. Large part of this paper is a survey article; however, in the last section, we define a new measure of discrimination between residual lifetimes and study some of its properties.