# Load testing

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{{Short description|Process of putting demand on a system and measuring its response}}
{{Lead too short|date=December 2021}}{{use American English|date=November 2017}}
thumb|Load testing a railroad bridge, 1883
'''Load testing''' is the process of putting demand on a structure or system and measuring its response.

==Physical load testing==
thumb|upright=0.5|Symbol used in geotechnical drawings
Many types of machinery, engines,<ref>{{Citation | last1=Harper | first1=David | last2=Devin Martin, Harold Miller, Robert Grimley and Frédéric Greiner | title=Design of the 6C Heavy-Duty Gas Turbine | place=Atlanta GA | publisher=ASME 1. | series=ASME Turbo Expo 2003, collocated with the 2003 International Joint Power Generation Conference | volume=2: Turbo Expo 2003 | year=2003 | pages=833–841 | url=http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/proceeding.aspx?articleid=1577115 | access-date=2013-07-14 | isbn=978-0-7918-3685-9 }}</ref> structures,<ref>{{Citation | last1=Raines | first1=Richard | last2=Garnier | first2=Jacques | place=Vancouver, BC | publisher=ASME | volume=1 | year=2004 | pages=621–631 | url=http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/proceeding.aspx?articleid=1629220 | access-date=2013-07-14 | doi=10.1115/OMAE2004-51343 | title=23rd International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, Volume 1, Parts a and B | isbn=978-0-7918-3743-6 | url-access=subscription }}</ref> and motors<ref>{{Citation | title=DETERMINING ELECTRIC MOTOR LOAD AND EFFICIENCY | volume=DOE/GO-10097-517 | url=https://www1.eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/tech_assistance/pdfs/10097517.pdf | publisher=US Department of Energy | date=2010 | access-date=2013-07-14 | isbn=978-0-9709500-6-2 }}</ref> are load tested. The load may be at a designated safe working load (SWL), full load, or at an aggravated level of load. The governing contract, [technical specification](/source/technical_specification) or [test method](/source/test_method) contains the details of conducting the test. The purpose of a mechanical load test is to verify that all the component parts of a structure including materials, base-fixings are fit for task and loading it is designed for.

Several types of load testing are employed 
* Static testing is when a designated constant load is applied for a specified time.
* Dynamic testing is when a variable or moving load is applied.
* Cyclical testing consists of repeated loading and unloading for specified cycles, durations and conditions.

The ''Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulation 1992 UK'' state that load testing is undertaken before the equipment is put into service for the first time. [Performance testing](/source/Performance_test_(assessment)) applies a safe working load (SWL), or other specified load, for a designated time in a governing test method, specification, or contract. Under the ''Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 UK'' load testing after the initial test is required if a major component is replaced, if the item is moved from one location to another or as dictated by the competent person.

== Software load testing ==
{{excerpt|Software load testing}}

==See also==
*[Internet Application Management](/source/Internet_Application_Management)
*[Soak testing](/source/Soak_testing)
*[Stress testing](/source/Stress_testing)
*[Structural testing](/source/Structural_testing)
*[System testing](/source/System_testing)
*[Web testing](/source/Web_testing)
*[Web server benchmarking](/source/Web_server_benchmarking)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.methodsandtools.com/archive/archive.php?id=38 Modeling the Real World for Load Testing Web Sites] by Steven Splaine
* [http://smartbear.com/products/qa-tool/what-is-load-testing/ What is Load Testing?] by Tom Huston
* [http://radview.com/4-types-of-load-testing-and-when-each-should-be-used/ 4 Types of Load Testing and when each should be used] by David Buch
* [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/performance-load-stress-endurance-test-which-do-you-want-chris-jones Performance, Load, Stress or Endurance Test? Which do you want?] by Chris Jones

{{Geotechnical engineering}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Load Testing}}
Category:Software testing
Category:Quality assurance
Category:Load testing tools
Category:Tests

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Load testing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load_testing) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load_testing?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.