Optimal Designs of Partially Accelerated Life Tests for Weibull Distributions

This paper considers two modes of partially accelerated life tests for items having Weibull lifetime distributions. In a use-to-acclerated mode each item is first run at use condition and, if it does not fail for a specified time, then it is run at accelerated condition until a predetermined censoring time. In an accelerated-to-use mode each one is first run at accelerated condition and, if it does not fail for a specified time, then it is run at use condition. Maximum likelihood estimators of the parameters of the lifetime distribution at use condition, and the 'acceleration factor' are obtained. The stress change time for each mode is determined to minimize the asymptotic variance of the acceleration factor, and the two modes are compared. For selected values of the design parameters the optimum plans are obtained, and the effects of the incorrect pre-estimates of the design parameters are investigated. Minimizing the generalized asymptotic variance of the estimators of the model parameters is also considered as an optimality criterion.