On determining sample size and testing duration of repairable system test

Reliability demonstration tests for non-repairable systems have been extensively discussed by many researchers. However, very few works have been done for repairable system tests. Demonstration tests for repairable systems can be time consuming and costly. Carefully planning sample size and test duration is very important. This paper develops a theoretical method, based on pivotal quantities and a confidence bound requirement for the reliability metrics of interest, to help test planners to determine the minimal sample sizes and test duration. A case study was given and the developed theoretical results were compared with simulation results. The comparison shows that the proposed method is accurate and efficient.