Yield strength and tensile strength in megapascals for 23 common engineering metals, with the product form and condition each figure applies to. Yield strength is the stress at which a metal starts to deform permanently, and tensile strength is the highest stress it carries before it breaks. S275 structural steel has a minimum yield of 275 MPa and S355 has 355 MPa, annealed 304 stainless strip has a minimum 0.2% proof stress of 230 MPa, and annealed titanium Grade 5 has a minimum yield of 820 MPa.
Yield and tensile strength of metals
A figure written min is the minimum the material standard requires. A range is the band the standard allows, or the spread across tempers where that is stated. A dash means the figure could not be confirmed from two independent sources for that condition.
| Material |
Family |
Yield or 0.2% proof (MPa) |
Tensile strength (MPa) |
Elongation (%) |
Condition |
Basis |
| S275JR structural steel | Carbon and alloy steel | min 275 | 410 to 560 | - | Up to 16 mm thick (yield), EN 10025-2 | Specified |
| S355JR structural steel | Carbon and alloy steel | min 355 | 470 to 630 | - | Up to 16 mm thick (yield), EN 10025-2 | Specified |
| EN8 (080M40) | Carbon and alloy steel | min 465 | 700 to 850 | min 16 | Hardened and tempered, condition R, BS 970 | Specified |
| EN24 (817M40) | Carbon and alloy steel | min 650 | 850 to 1000 | min 13 | Hardened and tempered, condition T, BS 970 | Specified |
| 304 stainless (1.4301) | Stainless steel | min 230 | 540 to 750 | min 45 | Annealed cold rolled strip to 8 mm, EN 10088-2 | Specified |
| 316 stainless (1.4401) | Stainless steel | min 240 | 530 to 680 | min 40 | Annealed cold rolled strip to 8 mm, EN 10088-2 | Specified |
| 430 stainless (1.4016) | Stainless steel | min 260 | 450 to 600 | min 20 | Annealed cold rolled strip to 8 mm, EN 10088-2 | Specified |
| 2205 duplex (1.4462) | Stainless steel | min 450 | 650 to 880 | min 25 | Solution annealed bar, EN 10088-3 | Specified |
| 1050A H14 aluminium | Aluminium | - | 105 to 135 | - | Sheet | Specified |
| 5083 O aluminium | Aluminium | - | 300 | - | Sheet, O/H111 temper | Specified |
| 6061 T6 aluminium | Aluminium | min 240 | min 290 | - | Sheet | Specified |
| 6082 T6 aluminium | Aluminium | - | min 310 | min 8 | Bar 20 to 150 mm, EN 755-2 | Specified |
| 7075 T6 aluminium | Aluminium | - | 510 to 538 | - | Sheet | Specified |
| Copper C101 | Copper alloys | 50 to 340 | 200 to 360 | 5 to 50 | Sheet, range from annealed to hard | Range across tempers |
| Brass CZ121 | Copper alloys | - | 360 to 500 | 15 to 20 | Bar, range across tempers | Range across tempers |
| Titanium Grade 2 | Titanium | min 276 | min 345 | min 20 | Annealed, ASTM B348 / B265 | Specified |
| Titanium Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) | Titanium | min 820 | min 895 | - | Annealed bar, ASTM B348 | Specified |
| Grey cast iron EN-GJL-200 | Cast iron | 130 to 195 | 200 to 300 | - | Separately cast test piece, EN 1561 | Specified tensile, typical proof |
| Grey cast iron EN-GJL-250 | Cast iron | 165 to 228 | 250 to 350 | - | Separately cast test piece, EN 1561 | Specified tensile, typical proof |
| SG iron EN-GJS-400-15 | Cast iron | min 250 | min 400 | min 15 | Wall up to 30 mm, EN 1563 | Specified |
| SG iron EN-GJS-500-7 | Cast iron | min 320 | min 500 | min 7 | Wall up to 30 mm, EN 1563 | Specified |
| Magnesium AZ31B | Other | 220 | 290 | 15 | H24 sheet | Typical |
| Inconel 625 | Other | 415 to 655 | 830 to 1034 | 30 to 60 | Annealed bar | Specified and typical |
Read the condition before you use a figure
The strength of a metal is not one number. It changes with product form, section thickness, temper and heat treatment, and every figure above is tied to the condition in its row. Thicker sections of structural steel have a lower specified yield than thin ones. The same aluminium alloy is far stronger in the T6 temper than annealed. A carbon steel such as EN8 or EN24 can be supplied in several heat treated conditions, each with its own strength range.
Use the chart to compare materials and to check an order of magnitude. For a design calculation, take the value from the material standard or the mill certificate for the actual form, thickness and condition you are buying.
Yield strength, proof stress and tensile strength
Mild and structural steels show a clear yield point, where the metal suddenly stretches without extra load. Stainless steels, aluminium alloys and most other metals do not, so their standards quote a 0.2% proof stress instead: the stress that leaves 0.2% permanent strain. The two are used the same way in design. For grey cast iron the chart shows a 0.1% proof stress, because the material has almost no ductility and that is the figure its standard gives.
Tensile strength is the peak of the stress-strain curve. The gap between yield and tensile strength, together with elongation, tells you how much warning a material gives before it fails. Structural steel yields well before it breaks and stretches a long way. Grey cast iron and hardened alloy steel have little of either.
Minimum, range and typical values
Most rows are specified values from the material standard, which are the figures a supplier has to meet. Typical values, as shown for magnesium AZ31B, are what the material usually achieves and are not guaranteed. The two should not be mixed in a calculation: design on specified minimums.
Related material data
Density for the same metals is on the density of metals chart. Hardness scales are on the hardness conversion chart. For bolts, strength is set by property class, not by a material grade: see the metric bolt torque chart for the class 8.8, 10.9 and 12.9 values.
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