Abstract:

A step-stress test in the presence of competing risks and using degradation measurements is considered. It is assumed that underlying degradation path follows a concave degradation model and the intensity functions corresponding to competing risks depend only on the level of degradation. In this work, information from step-stress test at high level of stress is extrapolated, through a tempered failure rate model, to obtain the estimates of intensity functions at normal use conditions. No assumptions are made about failure times distribution. Finally, the results are used to estimate reliability function.