Stress testing (sometimes called
torture testing) is a form of deliberately intense or thorough testing used to determine the stability of a given system or entity. It involves testing beyond normal operational capacity, often to a breaking point, in order to observe the results. Reasons can include:
- to determine breaking points or safe usage limits
- to confirm mathematical model is accurate enough in predicting breaking points or safe usage limits
- to confirm intended specifications are being met
- to determine modes of failure (how exactly a system fails)
- to test stable operation of a part or system outside standard usage