Civil Engineering Professional Engineer Practice Exam 2026 - Free PE Practice Questions and Study Guide

The primary purpose of joints in structural engineering is to connect structural members together, allowing for the transfer of loads, moments, and forces between different elements of a structure. Joints are crucial in creating a stable and cohesive framework, ensuring that various components such as beams, columns, and trusses work together effectively.

By facilitating these connections, joints help maintain the structural integrity and overall performance of the framework under various loads and conditions, such as wind, seismic activity, and thermal expansion. This connection is essential not only for the stability of the structure but also for the assembly and disassembly processes during construction and potential future modifications.

While the other options may describe various functions of specific components in structural systems (dissipating energy in the case of seismic joints, supporting loads in the role of beams or columns, and providing elasticity in flexible materials), they do not capture the primary function of joints, which is connectivity and load transfer within the structure.