I believe it has been quantified, though I haven't myself. Speaking
qualitatively as an engineer, the structural loads aren't enough to be a
problem for the pteroid, and it will handle lateral stresses quite
nicely -- it is 'designed' to do so. The longer, somewhat curved ones are
quite reminicent of half of an English longbow in both shape and cross
section. It would also handle tension stresses well, though it is unlikely
to recieve significant pure tension -- it's longitudinal stresses are
usually compression when not in bending. When in bending, it has tension
forward of the neutral axis and compression aft of it.
JimC
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Marjanovic" <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>
To: "DML" <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Friday, January 15, 2010 12:52 PM
Subject: Re: was: Pterosaur.net now: pteroid
1. That fragile tip of the pteroid ain't gonna hold up if you put
lateral stresses on it. It can only survive longitudinal stresses.
Someone should quantify these things.