Structures

Structures

1. STRUCTURES

   • A structure is the set of elements in a body that are made to resist the effects of the forces that act on It.
   • Natural and man-made structures
     • Natural structures
       • Are not made by man. They are in living beings, in their composition, or the result of a geological process.
     • Man-made stuctures
       • Are made by people to satisfy a need.

2. FORCES AND LOADS

   • A force is anything that can deform a body (static effect) or make it move or stop (dynamic effect).
   • There are two main types of loads:
     • Fixed or permanent loads
       • Are constant, they don't vary over time.
     • Variable loads
       • Vary over time, like traficc going across a bridge or the wind hitting it.