n A piece of material used to
transmit, or
change the
direction of,
weight or
pressure; any one of the pieces, in a
frame or
truss, which divide the structure into
triangular parts. It may act as a
tie, or as a
strut, and serves to prevent distortion of the structure, and transverse strains in its members. A boiler brace is a diagonal stay, connecting the head with the shell.