Reliability analysis for multi‐state systems subject to distinct random shocks

Abstract

This paper analyzes the competing and dependent failure processes for multi‐state systems suffering from four typical random shocks. Reliability analysis for discrete degradation is conducted by explicitly modeling the state transition characteristics. Semi‐Markov model is employed to explore how the system vulnerability and potential transition gap affect the state residence time. The failure dependence is specified as that random shocks can not only lead to different abrupt failures but also cause sudden changes on the state transition probabilities, making it easier for the system to stay at the degraded states. Reliability functions for all the exposed failure processes are presented based on the corresponding mechanisms. Interactions between different failure processes are also taken into account to evaluate the actual reliability levels in the context of degradation and distinct random shocks. An illustrative example of a multi‐state air conditioning system is studied to demonstrate how the proposed method can be applied to the engineering practice.

Optimal condition‐based maintenance policy for systems with mutually dependent competing failure

“…Depending on the failure mode, the shocks models are mainly separated into six categories: cumulative shock model, run shock model, extreme shock model, m-shock model, δ-shock model, and mixed shock model. [27][28][29][30][31] The maintenance policies for systems subjected to degradation and random shock processes have been broadly studied. And since the dawn of the 21st century, a growing number of study activities have been implemented on systems that have independent failure processes.…”

“…In these studies, Poisson process 23–26 is the most fundamental independent incremental process and is suitable for characterizing general shock processes. Depending on the failure mode, the shocks models are mainly separated into six categories: cumulative shock model, run shock model, extreme shock model, m ‐shock model, δ ‐shock model, and mixed shock model 27–31 …”

Reliability assessment of a system with multi‐shock sources subject to dependent competing failure processes under phase‐type distribution

“…Li and Pham 14 presented an optimal maintenance policy model subject to multiple competing risk processes involving two aging degradation processes and a random process. Cao and Dong 15 proposed a reliability modeling for multi‐state systems subject to competing for failure process of the discrete degradation process and two different shock models.…”

“…The analyses of the DCFPs model are focused on several different directions based on the value of the failure threshold, the magnitude of shocks, and the description of the soft loss degradation path. Hao et al 15 . proposed a reliability model for micro‐engine systems subject to DCFPs.…”

“…16,17 The analyses of the DCFPs model are focused on several different directions based on the value of the failure threshold, the magnitude of shocks, and the description of the soft loss degradation path. Hao et al 15 proposed a reliability model for micro-engine systems subject to DCFPs. Based on Hao et al's research, Liu et al 18 proposed an approach to establish the reliability model of degradation-shock dependence.…”