A structural member having a length that dominates its other two dimensions

A structural member having a length and width that dominates its thickness

Of or pertaining to a structure or structural member having a shape that does not change appreciably under the action of an applied load or changing loads

A structure or structural member that redirects external forces primarily through the bulk and continuity of its material, such as a beam or column

A structure or structural member that redirects external forces primarily through the composition of tension and compression members, such as a truss

A structure or structural member that redirects external forces primarily through the continuity of a surface, such as a plate or shell

Of or pertaining to a structure or structural member characterized by a lack of stiffness and having a shape that responds to changes in loading

Contraction of tensional integriy: a term attributed to Buckminster Fuller, describing a structure whose stability is based on a balance between tensile and compressive forces

A structural member designed primarily to resist longitudinal compression

A tension member designed to keep two structural members from spreading or separating

A discrete structure or assembly of structural members forming a spatial volume

A major spatial division, usually one of a series, marked or partitioned off by the principal vertical supports of a structure

A grid defining the principal points or lines of support for a structural system

A structural grid having regularly repeating bays in two directions

A structural pattern consisting of two grids offset from each other and creating interstitial spaces between the bays

A structural grid having irregularly shaped bays in one or more directions

A structural grid having points or lines of supports spaced uniformly in one direction but varying in the other

A structure mediating between two or more different structural patterns

Forming an intervening space

The arrangement of principal vertical supports for a structure, which influences the selection of an appropriate spanning system and establishes the possibilities for the ordering of spaces and functions

A method for sizing and proportioning a structural member based on the assumption that the service load will not stress the material beyond its allowable stresses

Also called elastic design, stress design, working stress design

A structural design method that employs statistical probabilities to establish the acceptable reliability of a structure, based on the variability in the strength of the materials and types of members used, and the variability of construction

The process of arranging, interconnecting, sizing, and proportioning the members of a structural system in order to safely carry a given set of loads without exceeding the allowable stresses of the materials employed

A design load equal to the service or nominal load multiplied by a load factor or a factor of safety

The ratio of the maximum stress that a structural member can withstand to the maximum stress estimated for it in the use for which it is designed

Any of several combinations of load factors for modifying the dead and live loads applied to a structure, based on the assumption that not all live loads will act simultaneously on a structure at their full value and that their combined effect can be reasonably expected to be less than the sum of their separate actions

The capacity of a structural material or component to resist the effects of loads, as determined by computation using specified material strengths and dimensions and formulas derived from accepted principles of structural mechanics

The maximum load a structure may be reasonably required to support during its useful life

A set of performance criteria that must be satisfied by a structure or structural component under loading, beyond which the structure or component ceases to function due to deflection, vibrations, or swaying, or becomes unsafe due to twisting, buckling, or collapse

The process of determining the ability of a structure or any of its constituent members to safely carry a given set of loads without material distress or excessive deformation, given the arrangement, shape, and dimensions of the members, the types of connections and supports utilized, and the allowable stresses of the materials employed

Any of the factors assigned to service or nominal loads to account for unavoidable deviations in actual loads from nominal values and for uncertainties in load analysis

Any of the factors assigned to different material properties and failure mechanisms to account for the variability in the nominal strength of different types of structural members and for the manner and consequences of failure

The load on a structural element or member collected from its tributary area

A point, surface, or mass that supports weight, esp. the area of contact between a bearing member, such as a beam or truss, and a column, wall, or other underlying support

The stress developed between a bearing member and an underlying support

Any condition, such as fracturing, buckling, or plastic deformation, that renders a structural assembly, element, or joint incapable of sustaining the load-carrying function for which it was designed

The process of modeling how a structure collects, channels, and redirects the loads resulting from external forces through the hierarchy of its members to the foundation and underlying soil

The portion of a structure contributing to the load on a structural element or member. Also called contributory area.

Channeling into something more inclusive

The tributary area per unit length of a supporting structural member

A structural member essential to the stability of a structural whole

A structural member supported by a primary member

A structural member supported by a secondary member