Reliability Analysis Under a New Cumulative Shock With Dynamic Self‐Healing Mechanisms

ABSTRACT Self‐healing mechanisms have become a critical factor in enhancing system reliability under complex operating conditions. Cumulative shock models employing unidirectional cumulative shocks to describe hard failure processes are insufficient in accurately capturing the bidirectional characteristics of thermal shocks. After thermal shocks occur, cumulative shocks can manifest as positive or negative accumulation. Specifically, when the system experiences low‐temperature shocks, the cumulative shock decreases, indicating a negative cumulative effect. This study develops a new cumulative shock reliability model that describes the bidirectional cumulative effects of thermal shocks, wherein the system experiences self‐healing failure once cumulative shocks exceed the high‐temperature or low‐temperature thresholds of self‐healing materials. Based on stochastic modeling of degradation and random shocks, a reliability evaluation method suitable for conditions of dynamic degradation and self‐healing is developed. The effectiveness and practical applicability of the developed method are validated through a case study involving aircraft surface coatings embedded with self‐healing microcapsules.