Line of thrust
 |
The line of thrust is the locus of the points, through which forces pass in a retaining wall or an arch. It is the line, along which internal forces flow, [1], [2].
In a stone structure, the line of thrust is a theoretical line that through the structure represents the path of the resultants of the compressive forces, [3]. For a structure to be stable, the line of thrust must lie entirely inside the structure, [4], [5].
Where important
[edit]The line of thrust is important in almost any architecture bearing weight. This includes aircraft, bridges, plus arches; see catenary arch.
An arch won't collapse, when the line of thrust is entirely internal to the arch, [6].
See also
[edit]- Damage tolerance
- Force lines
- Strength of materials
- Stress concentration
- Structural fracture mechanics
- Stress intensity factor
- Stress–strain analysis
External links
[edit]- One largish article, talks about line of thrust
- A definition
- Another definition
- A second reference
- A third reference
 | This classical mechanics–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |