neutral axis

American  

noun

1. an imaginary line in the cross section of a beam, shaft, or the like, along which no stresses occur.

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neutral axis British  

noun

1. engineering the line or plane through the section of a beam or plate which does not suffer extension or compression when the beam or plate bends

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Etymology

Origin of neutral axis

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

Without a precise definition of the neutral axis, the entire construction was formally incomplete.

From Science Daily • Jun. 7, 2026

The team's most important advance was finding a way to define the neutral axis using only the geometry of the color metric.

From Science Daily • Jun. 7, 2026

One of the team's most important achievements was establishing the neutral axis purely from the geometry of the color metric.

From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2026

Without that definition, the structure of the model lacks formal grounding: Without a defined neutral axis, the construction is formally undefined.

From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2026

In bending tests on wet beams, first failure occurs by compression on top of the beam, gradually extending downward toward the neutral axis.

From The Mechanical Properties of Wood Including a Discussion of the Factors Affecting the Mechanical Properties, and Methods of Timber Testing by Record, Samuel J.