ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the behaviour of the structure that is part of a load path. For structural engineering convenience, elements are considered to be one dimensional, two or three dimensional. For any structure, all the elements that make up each load path must be strong enough to resist the internal structural actions caused by the loads. Stress distribution describes how the sizes of stresses vary from unit area to unit area. In general there is no restriction on how stresses vary across any cross-section of any structure, except that the sum of the stresses must be equal to the internal force acting at the section and the internal force acts at the centre of gravity of the stresses. Axial forces cause axial stresses and bending moments cause bending stresses, so it is not unreasonable to expect shear forces to cause shear stresses. When a one-dimensional element is twisted by torsional moments the internal forces in the element cause torsional stresses.
