Question

structure design

A load that has been applied to a structure could sometimes be regarded as favourable. Explain this concept with an example.

Answer 1

The main function of a structure is to transfer the load coming on it safely and effeciently to the ground and there is no denying the fact that the load acting on the structure de-stabilies a structure but the very truth is that sometimes a load can stabilize a structure and one of the example that will justify this statement is the case of a dam structure.

From pure coherent logic, it is obvious that the head-water constantly imparts thrust on the dam and it might also cause sliding or overturning and has an overall de-stabilizing effect on the beam . if we carefully observe the dam , we will notice that there is tail water present on the downstream side  and very interestingly this tail water imparts thrust on the dam but in a direction opposite to that of head-water thrust. This thrust on the dam is favourable because it definitely stabilizes the dam since it nullifies the effect of head- water thrust to a greater extent

Thus from the above example it becomes clear that sometimes a load acting on the structure can be favourable