A Laplace Transform-Based Test for Exponentiality Against the EBUCL Class with Applications to Censored and Uncensored Data

Source abstract

This paper proposes a novel statistical test for evaluating exponentiality against the recently introduced EBUCL (Exponential Better than Used in Convex Laplace transform order) class of life distributions. The EBUCL class generalizes classical aging concepts and provides a flexible framework for modeling various non-exponential aging behaviors. The test is constructed using Laplace transform ordering and is shown to be effective in distinguishing exponential distributions from EBUCL alternatives. We derive the test statistic, establish its asymptotic properties, and assess its performance using Pitman’s asymptotic efficiency under standard alternatives, including Weibull, Makeham, and linear failure rate distributions. Critical values are obtained through extensive Monte Carlo simulations, and the power of the proposed test is evaluated and compared with existing methods. Furthermore, the test is extended to handle right-censored data, demonstrating its robustness and practical applicability. The effectiveness of the procedure is illustrated through several real-world datasets involving both censored and uncensored observations. The results confirm that the proposed test is a powerful and versatile tool for reliability and survival analysis.