Weibull statistics in short-term dielectric breakdown of thin polyethylene films [comments and reply]

In the original paper (see ibid., vol. 1, no. 1, p. 153-9, 1994), the authors show that the two-parameter Weibull distribution is satisfactory to represent the results on samples of HV thermally aged EPR cables. This does not exclude, as well as they indicate it, that the three-parameter Weibull distribution is sometimes justified, especially in the case of results of short term dielectric breakdown tests. The quality of test data available and the efficiency of usable methods, result partly from the international standardization and recent statistical work. The difficult problem remains of the choice for the statistical distribution of dielectric test results. It concerns a general enough problem that does not possess a unique solution and must take into account simultaneous physical and statistical considerations. A reply is given.>