Factor of safety is a number that signifies how safe a system may be in terms of its maximum load and the design's potential load. If a building or structure can not hold up the intended design and the added weight within it, it would not be safe, which this test should be able to help you understand.
A factor of safety of 1.5 means the system is made to withstand 1.5 times the required load, meaning it is relatively safe. Ensure this number is acceptable for your industry and project before assuming it is good enough.
A safety factor of 4 means the system can hold 4 times its maximum load, which can be seen as very safe in certain applications of the metric.
A safety factor below 1, like .5, means the system will fail as it does not have the ability to hold the possible load, it can only hold at most half of it.
Acceptable safety factor varies by application. A building/structure will not have the same requirements as a component in an item or another system. It is advisable that you always check for your specific project and system to ensure you have the correct information.
Create Date: September 26, 2024
Last Modified Date: September 26, 2024
