Structural Engineering & Statics
where the load goes
Concept

Load sharing — where it appears

2 essays name this object, across 2 fields. What follows is each of them, and the objects they name alongside it.
P = 100 kNthe shallow beam takes 11.1 kN11% of it — one part of the stiffness in 9the deep beam takes 88.9 kN89% of it — 8 times the stiffness of its neighbourone load, two beams, one deflection: 5.0 mm each

The stiffest path takes the load

When two members share a force the split can be argued about. When they share a displacement it cannot — stiffness settles it, and nothing about the load or the plan drawing gets a vote. The consequence is that stiffening a lightly loaded member raises its stress, and the way to unload something is to soften it.

internal-forces · load sharing the cable alonekink of 0.0083 radwith the stiffening girderthe cable takes 83% of the load; the girder spreads it over 183 mμ = L√(H/EI) = 4.93

The deck is not there to carry the load

A cable takes the shape of whatever is on it, which is exactly the problem — under a point load its shape is a kink, and a kink is not a road. The stiffening girder exists to spread the load until what reaches the cable is something the cable's own shape is right for.

structures · stiffening girder

Named alongside it

The objects these essays reach for when they reach for this one.

StiffnessCatenaryCharacteristic lengthCompatibilityCrossing beamsDeflectionElastic foundationForm findingFunicularGeometric nonlinearityHorizontal thrustLoad path

All concepts