Calculation to work out if a structure will fail?

[helsbay]

Hello,

I have to make a support structure for a chimney. When I make the structure I need to know if it will fail or will stay up. Does anyone kno how I will be able to calculate this? It will be a structure with four corners and cross bracing accross them.

Thanks.

Rob

[JaredJames]

Draw a freebody diagram of your structure and mark on any forces acting on it by the chimney along with their associated magnitudes. From there you can resolve the forces in the X / Y directions and see if your structure is capable of withstanding the load.