Structural analysis comprises the set of physical laws an mathematics required to study and predict the behavior of structures. The subjects of structural analysis are engineering artifacts whose integrity is judged largely based upon their ability to withstand loads; they commonly include buildings, bridges, aircraft, and ships. Structural analysis incorporates the fields of mechanics and dynamics as well as the many failure theories. From a theoretical perspective the primary goal of structural analysis is the computation of deformations, internal forces, and stresses. In practice, structural analysis can be viewed more abstractly as a method to drive the engineering design process or prove the soundness of a design without a dependence on directly testing it.