Comparisons and bounds for expected lifetimes of reliability systems (Q992609)

The authors obtain bounds on the expected values of life times of coherent and mixed systems in reliability theory. The case when the component life times are independent and identically distributed, as well as the case when they are independent but not necessarily identically distributed, are considered. In the independent and identically distributed case, the bounds are given in terms of the mean component life time and the domination polynomial of the system. In the case when the component life times are not necessarily identically distributed, the bounds are in terms of the generalized domination polynomial and the component mean life times. Some properties of the bounds, such as their sharpness, are derived. The results can be used to compare systems with component life times ordered in the convex ordering.