AN OPTIMAL SEQUENTIAL ACCELERATED LIFE TEST

Abstract

Optimal sequential designs are investigated for experiments to test whether a device subjected to a standard stress has an expected lifetime exceeding a specified value. It is assumed that the lifetime is exponentially distributed, with expectation a function of the stress and an unknown parameter; we assume this function is known (at least for some range of stresses). At each stage of experimentation, the experimenter chooses a stress level and obtains an observation of lif time at a cost proportional to the expected lifetime, i.e., proporional to the expected length of time requir d to obtain the obser ation. This cost may make it desirable to choose a greater than standard stress and perform an accelerated test. The case where the reciprocal of the expected life time is a quadratic function of stress is given particular attention. At each stage of experimentation, the optimal design involves randomizing between at most two stress levels. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 25, 1960
Accession Number
AD0254059

Entities

People

  • A.w. Marshall
  • H. Chernoff
  • S. Bessler

Organizations

  • Stanford University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Data Acquisition
  • Life Expectancy (Service Life)
  • Life Tests
  • Observation
  • Standards

Fields of Study

  • Mathematics

Readers

  • Applied Combinatorial Optimization and Logic Circuit Design.
  • Materials Science (Mechanical Engineering).
  • Statistical inference.