The field of strength of materials, also called mechanics of materials, typically refers to varied methods of calculating the stresses and strains in structural members, like beams, columns, and shafts. The methods employed to predict the response of a structure under loading and its susceptibility to varied failure modes takes into account the properties of the materials like its yield strength, ultimate strength, Young's modulus, and Poisson's ratio. Additionally, the mechanical element's macroscopic properties (geometric properties) like its length, width, thickness, boundary constraints and abrupt changes in geometry like holes are considered.
