Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
In electrical engineering the load factor is defined as the average load divided by the peak load in a specified time period. [1] It is a measure of the utilization rate, or efficiency of electrical energy usage; a high load factor indicates that load is using the electric system more efficiently, whereas consumers or generators that underutilize the electric distribution will have a low load ...
These load factors are, roughly, a ratio of the theoretical design strength to the maximum load expected in service. They are developed to help achieve the desired level of reliability of a structure [ 6 ] based on probabilistic studies that take into account the load's originating cause, recurrence, distribution, and static or dynamic nature.
In engineering, a factor of safety (FoS) or safety factor (SF) expresses how much stronger a system is than it needs to be for an intended load.Safety factors are often calculated using detailed analysis because comprehensive testing is impractical on many projects, such as bridges and buildings, but the structure's ability to carry a load must be determined to a reasonable accuracy.
A load case is a combination of different types of loads with safety factors applied to them. A structure is checked for strength and serviceability against all the load cases it is likely to experience during its lifetime. Typical load cases for design for strength (ultimate load cases; ULS) are: 1.2 x Dead Load + 1.6 x Live Load
Limit State Design (LSD), also known as Load And Resistance Factor Design (LRFD), refers to a design method used in structural engineering. A limit state is a condition of a structure beyond which it no longer fulfills the relevant design criteria. [ 1 ]
A dynamic load can have a significantly larger effect than a static load of the same magnitude due to the structure's inability to respond quickly to the loading (by deflecting). The increase in the effect of a dynamic load is given by the dynamic amplification factor (DAF) or dynamic load factor (DLF):
Such loads may include pressure thrusts and the weight of materials. The predicted stresses and deflections are compared with allowable values that have a "factor" against various failure mechanisms such as leakage, yield, ultimate load prior to plastic failure, buckling, brittle fracture, fatigue, and vibration/harmonic effects.
Some structural engineers define a high-rise as any vertical construction for which wind is a more significant load factor than earthquake or weight. Note that this criterion fits not only high-rises but some other tall structures, such as towers.