A Multi-Step Stress-Strength Model of a Parallel System

The paper evaluates the reliability of a shared-load parallel system. Each component is subject to a load that depends on the number of currently failed elements. For a finite number of load applications to the system a discrete-time Markov model was developed. Numerical examples are given for the reliability dynamics of a system whose components equally share the load. The accuracy of the results is evaluated for a limited number of non-zero diagonals calculated for the transition matrix.