Structures Packaging – Forms of Loading
Tension A force that pulls on a structure trying to make it longer. Example – hold the hand of another person, each pull away from one another in opposite directions. The arms will feel the load in tension.
Compression A force which pushes parts of a structure together, tending to make it shorter and fatter. Example – Two persons, roughly the same size should lean toward one another, pushing their palms together. The arms are loaded in compression
Shear A force which shifts in opposite directions the opposite sides of a structure. Example – Hold the hand of another person, each pull away from one another in the opposite direction. Your hands will experience shear as they pull apart.