Structural analysis is the determination of the effects of loads on physical structures and their components. … The results of the analysis are used to verify a structure’s fitness for use, often precluding physical tests. Structural analysis is thus a key part of the engineering design of structures.
Structures and loads
A structure refers to a body or system of connected parts used to support a load. Important examples related to Civil Engineering include buildings, bridges, and towers; and in other branches of engineering, ship and aircraft frames, tanks, pressure vessels, mechanical systems, and electrical supporting structures are important. To design a structure, an engineer must account for its safety, aesthetics, and serviceability, while considering economic and environmental constraints. Other branches of engineering work on a wide variety of non-building structures.
Purpose of Structural Analysis
The structural analysis helps to determine the cause of a structural failure.
