On the Application of Fractal Interpolation Functions within the Reliability Engineering Framework

Reliability engineering provides a framework for modelling, monitoring and optimizing the ability of a system or component to function as required, usually within a predetermined time interval and under specific functional and cost conditions. Fractal interpolation provides an efficient way of interpolating data that exhibit an irregular and non-smooth structure, possibly presenting details at different scales or some degree of self-similarity. This chapter focuses on the application of fractal interpolation within the reliability engineering framework. It explores application areas where the reliability data, such as occurrences or frequency of failures, exhibit irregular, non-smooth patterns. In these cases, fractal interpolation provides an efficient way for modelling and predicting a system's functioning and reliability.