obstructions

Obstruction is the act or state of blocking or hindering passage, progress, or operation. An obstruction can be a physical barrier, a blockage in a channel, or a process that delays action. Obstructions may be intentional or accidental and can affect people, transportation, infrastructure, or information flow.

In everyday and engineering contexts, physical obstructions include debris that blocks roads, fallen branches blocking a doorway, or a blockage in a pipe. In fluid flow, obstructions alter velocity fields and pressure distributions and are analyzed as changes to cross-sectional area, roughness, or boundary conditions. Urban planning often seeks to minimize obstructions to improve safety and mobility.

Medical obstructions are blockages within bodily channels and can threaten health. Airway obstruction obstructs breathing; intestinal obstruction blocks the passage of contents through the digestive tract; biliary, urinary, and vascular obstructions can also occur. Causes include foreign bodies, swelling, tumors, stones, or anatomical anomalies. Management focuses on relieving the blockage and treating the underlying cause, with medical care arranged by professionals.

In law and governance, obstruction refers to actions that impede the functioning of legal or administrative processes. Obstruction of justice is a formal concept describing interference with law enforcement, testimony, or the administration of courts. Other forms include bureaucratic delays or intentional hindrance of policy implementation.

Overall, obstructions are identified by a reduction in flow or function and are addressed by removal, bypass, or redesign, depending on the context.