What is the stress due to a compressive force?

The stress due to a compressive force is referred to as compressive stress. This type of stress occurs when a material is subjected to a force that pushes or squeezes the material, causing it to shorten in the direction of the force. Compressive stress is mathematically defined as the force applied divided by the cross-sectional area over which the force is distributed.

Understanding compressive stress is crucial in fields such as engineering and materials science, as it helps assess how materials will behave under different loads. Structures like columns, beams, and walls typically experience compressive forces, and knowing the limits of compressive stress helps engineers design safe and efficient structures.

Other types of stress, such as tensile stress (resulting from forces that stretch or elongate materials), shear stress (which occurs when forces are applied parallel to a surface), or allowable stress (the maximum stress that a material can withstand safely), do not pertain to compressive forces and therefore do not accurately describe stress resulting from compression.