Accelerated degradation models for failure based on geometric Brownian motion and gamma processes.

Based on a generalized cumulative damage approach with a stochastic process describing degradation, new accelerated life test models are presented in which both observed failures and degradation measures can be considered for parametric inference of system lifetime. Incorporating an accelerated test variable, we provide several new accelerated degradation models for failure based on the geometric Brownian motion or gamma process. It is shown that in most cases, our models for failure can be approximated closely by accelerated test versions of Birnbaum-Saunders and inverse Gaussian distributions. Estimation of model parameters and a model selection procedure are discussed, and two illustrative examples using real data for carbon-film resistors and fatigue crack size are presented.