Stress and Strain
Stress is internal force per unit area; strain is the resulting deformation of a material.
Definition
In mechanics of materials, stress is the internal force per unit area within a material resisting an applied load, measured in Pascals. Strain is the dimensionless measure of deformation representing the change in length divided by the original length. The relationship between stress and strain is described by Hooke's Law within the elastic limit, where Young's modulus is the proportionality constant. These concepts are fundamental to structural and mechanical engineering design.
Example
“When designing a bridge, structural engineers calculate the stress in each steel beam under maximum traffic load to ensure it stays well below the material's yield strength, preventing permanent deformation or failure.”
Synonyms
- mechanical stress
- material deformation
- load-deformation analysis
Images
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Related Terms
- Young's Modulus
- Hooke's Law
- Yield Strength
- Structural Analysis