Which term is imposed off center of the member?

Which term is imposed off center of the member?

• A. Live Load
• B. Concentrated Load
• C. Eccentric Load
• D. Axial Load

Answer: (C)

When a load does not pass through the center of a member’s cross-section, it doesn’t just compress or tension the member—it creates a bending moment as well. This off-center loading is called an eccentric load. The moment produced is the product of the load and the offset distance from the centroid, M = F × e, which causes bending stresses on the section in addition to the axial stress. If the load were applied through the centroid, you’d have a pure axial load with no bending moment. Live load is just the variable, real-world load due to occupants or equipment; a concentrated load is a load applied at a single point (center or off-center); axial load refers to load along the member’s axis through the centroid. Therefore, the term for a load applied off center is eccentric load.

When a load does not pass through the center of a member’s cross-section, it doesn’t just compress or tension the member—it creates a bending moment as well. This off-center loading is called an eccentric load. The moment produced is the product of the load and the offset distance from the centroid, M = F × e, which causes bending stresses on the section in addition to the axial stress. If the load were applied through the centroid, you’d have a pure axial load with no bending moment. Live load is just the variable, real-world load due to occupants or equipment; a concentrated load is a load applied at a single point (center or off-center); axial load refers to load along the member’s axis through the centroid. Therefore, the term for a load applied off center is eccentric load.