Reliability and optimal replacement policy for a k-out-of-n system subject to shocks

Abstract

Consider a k-out-of-n system which is subject to shocks that occur at random times. Each shock causes failure of random number of components, and hence the system’s lifetime corresponds to one of the arrival times of shocks. The reliability and mean time to failure of the system are studied when the times between shocks follow a phase type distribution. The optimal replacement time problem which is concerned with the minimization of the total long-run average cost per unit time is also defined and studied.