Method and apparatus for generating a fault tree for a failure mode of a multi-mode system

A method for generating a fault tree for a failure mode of a multi-mode system comprising a plurality of system components, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing component fault tree elements of the system components, wherein
• each component fault tree element includes at least one component fault tree mode element representing a failure-relevant operation mode of the respective system component, and
• at least one component fault tree element comprises a plurality of component fault tree mode elements, wherein each component fault tree mode element of the plurality of component fault tree mode elements of the at least one component fault tree element receives the same output from a previous component fault tree element and each component fault tree mode element results in failure at a single outport;
• (b) selecting at least one component fault tree mode element representing a system state of said system;
• and
• (c) generating the fault tree by incorporating the at least one selected component fault tree mode element, said generated fault tree representing a failure behaviour of a system state of said system.