Structural Elements
Any structure is essentially made up of only a small number of different types of elements:
- Columns
- Beams
- Plates
- Arches
- Shells
- Catenaries
Many of these elements can be classified according to form (straight, plane / curve) and dimensionality (one-dimensional / two-dimensional):
| One-dimensional | Two-dimensional | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| straight | curve | plane | curve | |
| (predominantly) bending | beam | continuous arch | plate, concrete slab | lamina, dome |
| (predominant) tensile stress | rope | Catenary | shell | |
| (predominant) compression | pier, column | Load-bearing wall | ||
Read more about this topic: Structural Engineering
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