One common misconception is regarding the difference between Yield Strength and Tensile strength. While yield strength measures the stress at which a material begins to deform plastically, tensile strength (or ultimate tensile strength) refers to the maximum stress a material can withstand before it breaks. These two properties are related but serve different purposes in material selection and design.
• Yield Strength: Prevents permanent deformation by keeping stress within safe limits.
• Tensile Strength: Ensures the material can handle extreme loads without fracturing.
For instance, a structural engineer designing a building must ensure that the materials’ yield strength can support the operational loads, while also considering the tensile strength to prevent catastrophic failure during rare events like earthquakes.
