____________ is defined as the designed strength of a member.

• A. Shear Capacity
• B. Structural Capacity
• C. Bearing Strength
• D. Flexural Capacity

Answer: (B)

Structural capacity describes the designed strength of a member—the maximum load it is intended to carry under code-approved design conditions, after applying safety factors and material limitations. This reflects what engineers actually allow in the structure, not just what the raw material could withstand in an ideal test.

The other terms refer to specific failure modes or aspects of performance: shear capacity is about resisting shear forces, bearing strength concerns contact stresses at supports or connections, and flexural capacity deals with resisting bending moments. Each is important, but they describe particular limits, not the overall designed strength of the member.