Having an understanding of strength, stiffness, toughness and other material properties is essential to be able select the correct material for a specific application, and to be able to analyse the response of the material to different loads and conditions. The topics below cover a few key material properties that you should be familiar with.
Young's Modulus
Young's modulus is a measure of the stiffness of a material – it describes the relationship between stress and strain.
Poisson's Ratio
Poisson’s ratio is a measure of how much a material will contract laterally when a uniaxial stress is applied longitudinally.
Strength, Ductility & Toughness
Strength, ductility and toughness are three important material properties that can be determined from a stress-strain curve.