Dynamic performance evaluation of multi – state systems under non – homogeneous continuous time Markov process degradation using lifetimes in terms of order statistics

Abstract

In multi-state modelling a system and its components have a range of performance levels from perfect functioning to complete failure. Such a modelling is more flexible to understand the behaviour of mechanical systems. To evaluate a system’s dynamic performance, lifetime analysis of a multi-state system has been considered in many research articles. The order statistics related analysis for the lifetime properties of multi-state k-out-of-n systems have recently been studied in the literature in case of homogeneous continuous time Markov process assumption. In this paper, we develop the reliability measures for multi-state k-out-of-n systems by assuming a non-homogeneous continuous time Markov process for the components which provides time dependent transition rates between states of the components. Therefore, we capture the effect of age on the state change of the components in the analysis which is typical of many systems and more practical to use in real life applications.