Engineering English
Tensile Strength
Engineering Fundamentals · Civil Engineering · Aerospace Engineering · Mechanical Engineering · Materials Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: The maximum stress a material can withstand under tension before failing. It is a fundamental mechanical property used to design structures subject to pulling forces.
Example in context
“The tensile strength of the steel cable must exceed 1.5 GPa to meet safety requirements.”
“Çelik kablonun çekme mukavemeti güvenlik gereksinimlerini karşılamak için 1.5 GPa'yı aşmalıdır.”
Where engineers use it
Tensile strength is specified in material datasheets for beams, cables, and fasteners. Engineers use this value to calculate allowable loads and ensure structural integrity under tension.
Synonyms: ultimate tensile strength, UTS
In Civil Engineering
The maximum stress that a material can withstand while being stretched or pulled before breaking.
“The tensile strength of the steel rebar must exceed the design stress for serviceability.”
In Aerospace Engineering
Tensile strength is the maximum stress a material can withstand while being stretched or pulled before necking or fracturing. It is a fundamental property used to design components that carry tension loads.
“The design review confirmed that the aluminum alloy's tensile strength exceeds the requirement for the wing skin panel.”
In Mechanical Engineering
The maximum stress a material can withstand while being stretched or pulled before necking or fracture. It is a fundamental property in material selection for load-bearing components.
“The tensile strength of the steel alloy was measured to be 750 MPa, exceeding the design requirement for the connecting rod.”
In Materials Engineering
The maximum stress a material can withstand while being stretched or pulled before it breaks. It is measured as force per unit of original cross-sectional area.
“The laboratory report confirmed that the welded joint reached a tensile strength of 520 megapascals before the specimen finally separated.”
Practice: can you use “Tensile Strength” at work?
You are selecting a material for a bridge cable. The cable will experience a maximum tension of 200 kN. Determine the required tensile strength based on a safety factor of 2.
Show a model answer
“The tensile strength of this alloy is 800 MPa, suitable for aerospace components.”
“Tensile Strength” in 21 languages
| English | Tensile Strength |
|---|---|
| Turkish | çekme mukavemeti |
| French | résistance à la traction |
| German | Zugfestigkeit |
| Spanish | resistencia a la tracción |
| Chinese | 抗拉强度 |
| Arabic | قوة الشد |
| Portuguese | resistência à tração |
| Russian | предел прочности на растяжение |
| Japanese | 引張強さ |
| Italian | resistenza a trazione |
| Vietnamese | độ bền kéo |
| Hindi | तन्य शक्ति |
| Thai | ความต้านทานแรงดึง |
| Indonesian | kekuatan tarik |
| Korean | 인장 강도 |
| Bengali | টেনসাইল স্ট্রেংথ |
| Dutch | treksterkte |
| Swedish | draghållfasthet |
| Finnish | vetolujuus |
| Ukrainian | міцність на розтяг |
Frequently asked questions
What does Tensile Strength mean in engineering?
The maximum stress a material can withstand under tension before failing. It is a fundamental mechanical property used to design structures subject to pulling forces. In Engineering Fundamentals, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Tensile Strength?
Tensile Strength is pronounced /ˈtɛnsəl strɛŋθ/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Tensile Strength used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The tensile strength of the steel cable must exceed 1.5 GPa to meet safety requirements.”
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