3. What is factor of safety?

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Accepted Answer

Factor of safety is the ratio of the maximum stress a material can withstand to the actual stress it is subjected to.

Factor of safety is used to ensure the safety and reliability of a design.
It is calculated by dividing the ultimate strength of a material by the maximum stress it is expected to experience.
A factor of safety greater than 1 indicates that the design is safe and can withstand the expected loads.
For example, if a bridge is designed to support a maximum load of 100 tons, a factor of safety of 2 would mean that the bridge can actually support 200 tons without failing.
Factors such as material properties, environmental conditions, and manufacturing processes can affect the factor of safety.

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