Structural Engineering

STEMonstrations: Engineering Design—Trusses - NASA

College of Engineering, Science and Environment

In structural engineering, every design revolves around understanding and managing forces. The four basic types of forces we often encounter are: Bending: Forces that cause a material to curve or deflect. Compression: Pushing forces that compress or shorten a material. Torsion: Twisting forces that cause rotation around an axis. Shear: Forces that cause parts of a material to slide past one another. Mastering these fundamental forces is key to designing safe and efficient structures. How do you