Thursday, October 16, 2008

Stress


Stress is a word that can have more than one meaning. In the world at large, when one talks of stress one is probably referring to high emotions and tensions due to demands from others or situations. I experience this type of stress on a daily basis, but that is not what I want to write about today.

I am a structural engineer and I work at a facility that does work on aircraft. My major function is described as being a "stress engineer". That does not mean that I try and help people feel relieved from the expectations or demands of their job, nor does it mean that I am a psychologist. I investigate the structural capacity of aircraft components and systems subjected to a prescribed environment.

Stress is technically defined as force divided by area. Most materials can be tested under certain conditions to determine the strength and stiffness characteristics. I am somewhat involved in that, but I am involved mostly in using that information to determine if something is capable of resisting the loads that are expected to be seen by the structure.

4 comments:

  1. It's good to see a post from you. I've been missing your posts.

    Your job sounds interesting. Do you enjoy pushing things to their limits?

    There's not a lot going on here, I am really struggling to find something I want to write about.

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  2. I have many things I wish to post. I just have been a little stressed of late.

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  3. I have been watching for your posts. I am glad to see you again. Stress does seem to mean several things. I have always worked better if I have a thing at hand necessary to be done. I guess I work better under stress.

    It is good to hear from you. Your opinion is good. I love you Mom

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  4. I do not like pressure. I work better on something that I think is interesting or important.

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