instability
Sign in to savethumb|A ball on the top of a hill is an unstable situation. In dynamical systems, instability means that some of the outputs or internal states increase with time, without bounds. Not all systems that are not stable are unstable; systems can also be marginally stable or exhibit limit cycle behavior.
~6 min read
Article
8 sectionsContents
- Instability in control systems
- Instability in solid mechanics
- Fluid instabilities
- Plasma instabilities
- Instabilities of stellar systems
- Joint instabilities
- Notes
- External links
thumb|A ball on the top of a hill is an unstable situation. In dynamical systems, instability means that some of the outputs or internal states increase with time, without bounds. Not all systems that are not stable are unstable; systems can also be marginally stable or exhibit limit cycle behavior.
In structural engineering, a structural beam or column can become unstable when excessive compressive load is applied. Beyond a certain threshold, structural deflections magnify stresses, which in turn increases deflections. This can take the form of buckling or crippling. The general field of study is called structural stability.