Which term is used for the weight carried by a vehicle or structure?

• A. Load
• B. Failure
• C. Investigation
• D. Pier

Answer: (A)

Weight carried by a vehicle or structure is called the load. In bridge and structural thinking, load is the general term for the forces that must be supported. This includes the weight of the structure itself (dead load) and the weight of everything it carries (live load), such as vehicles and pedestrians, plus other external forces like wind or seismic effects. Knowing what constitutes the load helps engineers ensure a bridge can safely carry expected traffic and conditions. The other terms describe different ideas: failure is what happens when the structure can’t support the loads; an investigation is the process of examining after an event; a pier is a supporting element that transfers loads to the ground.