Which term describes a load that causes a material to twist?

Which term describes a load that causes a material to twist?

• A. Eccentric load
• B. Torsion load
• C. Axial load
• D. Compression

Answer: (B)

Twisting a material comes from a torsion moment, a torque that makes one end rotate relative to the other around the member’s axis. This is what creates torsional or shear stresses as the cross-sections try to slide past each other. An off-center or eccentric load primarily induces bending rather than pure twisting, because the force does not line up with the centroid. An axial load acts along the length and changes length (tension or compression) but does not twist. A compression is simply a type of axial load causing shortening. So the term that describes a load causing twisting is torsion (torsional) load.

Twisting a material comes from a torsion moment, a torque that makes one end rotate relative to the other around the member’s axis. This is what creates torsional or shear stresses as the cross-sections try to slide past each other. An off-center or eccentric load primarily induces bending rather than pure twisting, because the force does not line up with the centroid. An axial load acts along the length and changes length (tension or compression) but does not twist. A compression is simply a type of axial load causing shortening. So the term that describes a load causing twisting is torsion (torsional) load.