Structures & Forces
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    A structure is an assembly of parts that is able to stay stable under pressure, is able to support load and is able to resist forces.  A structure also has a built in factor of safety or a margin of error. A structure may be artificial (house, wall, building etc.) or natural (tree, skeleton, spider web etc.). In addition, a structure may be rigid or flexible. 

    In every structure there is a safety factor. This tells how safe and stable the structure is. There are ways to make structures more stable and to determine how sturdy a given structure is. 

    The Great Wall is a massive rigid structure.  Its degree of safety and its stress and elasticity can all be calculated through various methods.  Over the years many extra loads such as wind, snow, sand, and human weight have been withstood.  The Wall's triangular shape allowed it to withstand extra weight and allowed it to keep its shape.

This Page was last edited on Thursday, July 27, 2000 .

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