Camber

camber

1. another name for bank

2. Engineering an outward inclination of the front wheels of a road vehicle so that they are slightly closer together at the bottom than at the top

3. Aeronautics aerofoil curvature expressed by the ratio of the maximum height of the aerofoil mean line to its chord

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camber [′kam·bər]

(aerospace engineering)

The rise of the curve of an airfoil section, usually expressed as the ratio of the departure of the curve from a straight line joining the extremities of the curve to the length of this straight line.

(design engineering)

Deviation from a straight line; the term is applied to a convex, edgewise sweep or curve, or to the increase in diameter at the center of rolled materials.

(geology)

A terminal, convex shoulder of the continental shelf.

A structural feature that is caused by plastic clay beneath a bed flowing toward a valley so that the bed sags downward and seems to be draped over the sides of the valley.

(naval architecture)

round of beam

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camber

1. A slight convex curvature built into a truss or beam to compensate for any anticipated deflection so that it will have no sag when under load. Also see bow.

2. A slight convex curvature of any surface, e.g., to facilitate the runoff of water.

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Camber 

in automobiles, the positioning of the wheels at an angle to the vertical plane, causing the spacing between the top of the wheels to be greater than that between the bottom. Camber makes it possible to avoid the inward tilt of the wheels as the automobile moves; this tilt can be caused by the flexing of the front axle under a load and also by the existence of play in the bushings of the kingpins and wheel bearings. Camber in the front wheels facilitates steering.

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Camber 

a slight convexity given to structural members (beams, trusses) to improve their performance and architectural qualities. The camber ensures that structural members will attain the designed shape and not sag when subjected to loads that cause elastic strains and flex connections and angle joints. The amount of camber is determined by the dimensions of the structural member, the elasticity of the materials, and the kind of load. It is usually taken into consideration during the fabrication of a structural member by suitable alterations of design, but in many cases it is accomplished by prestressing the member.