As shown in Figure 2.

1, if a force (load) is assumed to act at a point, it is frequently

referred to as a concentrated force (concentrated load). This idealization is commonly
used when the area of application is very small in comparison to the total surface area
of the body on which the force is acting and is satisfactory for most engineering
solutions. When the area of application of the force (load) is large, it is referred to as a
distributed force, or a distributed load and has units such as pounds per square foot (psf
or lb/ft2). Examples of distributed loads are snow on a roof, water pressure against the
side of a tank or dam, and wind pressure against the side of a building. If the force is
spread out along a line or distributed along a narrow strip, it is referred to as a distributed
load and has units such as kips per foot (kips/ft) or newtons per meter (N/m). An
example of a distributed load is the weight of a beam or the weight of a lane of bumper-
to-bumper traffic on a long bridge. Distributed loads are discussed in detail in Section
3.5.
Forces may also be categorized as external or internal. A force is said to be external to
a body if it is exerted on that body by some other body. It is said to be internal if it is
exerted on a part of that body by some other part of the same body. For example, the
external forces acting on the truss of Figure 2.2 produce internal forces in the various
truss members. The externally applied forces are P1, P2, P3, and P4. These forces are, in
turn, transmitted from their points of application through the various members of the
truss to the external supports at A and B. Internal forces are developed in the truss
members as a result of the members pushing or pulling on other members at points of
intersection.
Figure 2.2 Forces acting on a truss.
Note that the externally applied forces are all concentrated forces and are exerted by
other bodies. They are said to be acting on the truss. External resisting forces
and are shown at the external supports. These are commonly called reacting forces,
or reactions.