Theory and Applications of Hazard Plotting for Censored Failure Data

Abstract

This paper presents theory and applications of a simple graphical method, called hazard plotting, for the analysis of multiply censored life data consisting of failure times of failed units intermixed with running times on unfailed units. Applications of the method are given for multiply censored data on service life of equipment, for strength data on an item with different failure modes, and for biological data multiply censored on both sides from paired comparisons. Theory for the hazard plotting method, which is based on the hazard function of a distribution, is developed from the properties of order statistics from Type II multiply censored samples.

Key Words:

• Graphical Analysis
• Censored Life Data
• Competing Failure Modes
• Hazard Plotting
• Reliability