Comparison of fatigue data using the maximum likelihood method

The paper describes procedures to compare the fatigue behaviour of two populations corresponding to batches that differ for a factor on the basis of fatigue data of two samples. Fatigue data are elaborated by means of the maximum likelihood method to obtain the SNP curves and their confidence intervals. The likelihood ratio test is used to identify the most adequate distribution and model. To analyse the influence of the factor, two integrated procedures are adopted: the first one is based on the LR test, the second is an empirical procedure, based on the comparison of the confidence intervals of the curves.