[For the entire collection see Zbl 0753.00026.]
The paper deals with the methods of calculation of sensitivity analysis of structures. An application of the virtual distortion method proposed by the authors is compared with a well-known in the literature the first order reliability method. The authors conclude that the virtual distortion method can be successfully applied to estimate the displacement and stress sensitivity coefficients. A numerical example concerned with truss optimization illustrates a performance of sensitivity analysis and is used to compare the results of two methods. The paper has a cognitive character, and the technical application is also shown.