An important problem in structural reliability is the combination of time variant stochastic loadings. The failure probability in the case of nonlinear combinations of stochastic processes can be approximated by the mean crossing rates of time-variant loadings out of the safe domain of structural states. Expect for linearly bounded safe domains, these rates are difficult to compute; therefore, the quality of various lineariyation points is investigated. Comparisons are made of some examples showing that for time-variant problmes the Hasofer-Lind point is often suboptimal. a linearization at the point of maximum local outcrossing density might generally porduce non-degenerate, sufficiently accurate results.      «

An important problem in structural reliability is the combination of time variant stochastic loadings. The failure probability in the case of nonlinear combinations of stochastic processes can be approximated by the mean crossing rates of time-variant loadings out of the safe domain of structural states. Expect for linearly bounded safe domains, these rates are difficult to compute; therefore, the quality of various lineariyation points is investigated. Comparisons are made of some examples sho...     »