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On Optimal Consecutive k-out-of-n: F Systems Subject to a Fixed Product of Failure Probabilities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2009

Y. C. Yao
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado 80523

Extract

A consecutive−k−out−of−n:F system is an n−vertex graph where the system fails if and only if some k consecutive vertices all fail. Assuming that the n vertices have, independently, the respective failure probabilities q1,…, qn, the problem is to find, subject to πqi = Q (a constant), a set of q1,…, qn so as to maximize the system reliability. In the case that the graph is a circle (or cycle), Chang and Hwang [1] conjectured that q1 =… = qn, = Q1/n is optimal if n and k are relatively prime. In this paper, it is shown that the conjecture is true for sufficiently small Q. It is also shown by counterexample that the conjecture is not true in general.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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References

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