Projected area
![Example of a projected area from a hardness indentation.](/Images/godic/202502/04/Projected_area-hardness_test.svg5003.png")
Projected area is two-dimensional area measurement of a three-dimensional object by projecting its shape on to an arbitrary plane. This is often used in mechanical engineering and architectural engineering related fields, specifically hardness testing, axial stress, wind pressures, and terminal velocity.