Block-structured Markov chains model a large variety of queueing problems and have many important applications in various areas. Stability properties have been well investigated for these Markov chains. In this paper we will present transient properties for two specific types of block-structured Markov chains, including M/G/1 type and GI/M/1 type. Necessary and sufficient conditions in terms of system parameters are obtained for geometric transience and algebraic transience. Possible extensions of the results to continuous-time Markov chains are also included.

In this paper, we consider a certain class of Markov renewal processes where the matrix of the transition kernel governing the Markov renewal process possesses some block-structured property, including repeating rows. Duality conditions and properties are obtained on two probabilistic measures which often play a key role in the analysis and computations of such a block-structured process. The method used here unifies two different concepts of duality. Applications of duality are also provided, including a characteristic theorem concerning recurrence and transience of a transition matrix with repeating rows and a batch arrival queueing model.