Jump to the content of the page
- Industries (Show submenu)
- Products (Show submenu)
- Static Materials Testing Machines (Show submenu)
- Dynamic and Fatigue Testing Systems (Show submenu)
- Automated test systems (Show submenu)
- Products for Impact Testing
- Extrusion Plastometers / Melt Flow Index Testers (Show submenu)
- HDT and Vicat Testing Instruments (Show submenu)
- Hardness testers (Show submenu)
- Modernization of testing machines
- Preowned market
- Accessories (Show submenu)
- testXpert testing software (Show submenu)
- Measurement and control electronics
- Load cells
- Specimen Grips
- Extensometers (Show submenu)
- Environmental chambers
- Specimen preparation and dimensional measurement
- Accessories online
- Services (Show submenu)
- Company (Show submenu)
- Careers (Show submenu)
- Resources & Events
- Contact
Upper yield strength and lower yield strength
The yield strength Re is a material characteristic value and is determined using tensile testing (e.g. ISO 6892 standard series for metallic materials or ISO 527 standard series for plastics and composites). The yield strength Re denotes the stress during a tensile test up to which a material can be elastically deformed. The yield strength is specified in MPa (megapascal) or N/mm².
What is yield strength? Upper yield strength Lower yield strength Minimum yield strength Offset yield Testing machines Tensile test Tensile strength
What describes the yield point?
It is often possible to determine both an upper yield strength ReH value and a lower yield strength ReL value.
The upper yield point designates the stress up to which no permanent plastic deformation occurs in a material under tensile loading. The material does undergo deformation, however after withdrawal of the tensile stress it returns to its original form. If the upper yield point is exceeded, the plastic or permanent deformation begins; in tensile testing the specimen is irreversibly elongated.
The yield strength Re and tensile strength Rm values can be used to calculate the yield strength ratio:
Re / Rm
The yield strength ratio is a measurement of strain hardening up to the tensile strength. The yield strength ratio thus indicates how much tensile stress margin is available in a design/construction until the failure of the material clearly sets in.
Often the yield point of materials is not pronounced and therefore cannot be clearly determined in the tensile test. In these cases, the offset yield is determined. As a rule, the offset yield is determined at 0.2% plastic elongation, hence the designation of the characteristic value with Rp 0,2.
Upper Yield Point ReH
The highest stress value before its significant first drop is designated as the upper yield strength ReH. At this point the material undergoes plastic deformation. If the yield strength is very pronounced, the material begins to flow, whereby the stress decreases slightly, but the elongation continues to increase. The lowest tensile stress during flow corresponds to the lower yield strength ReL. This effect occurs exclusively on steel with little or no alloy.
The upper yield strength is the highest tensile stress before flow and is defined by the metals tensile standard ISO 6892-1 as follows: After reaching the stress maximum, there must be a stress reduction of at least 0.5% and a subsequent flow of at least 0.05% without the tensile stress exceeding the upper yield strength again.
Calculating the Upper Yield Point
The upper yield strength ReH is calculated using the stress strain curve from the tensile test:
Upper yield strength ReH = maximum force at the upper yield strength FeH / initial specimen cross section S0
Lower Yield Point ReL
The lower yield strength ReL is the lowest stress value in the flow range of the material following the upper yield strength ReH, whereby transient oscillation occurrences (e.g. due to a change in force) may not be taken into account.
In a case where the upper yield strength is not recognized (the reduction in force is less than 0.5%) or yielding occurs at a fairly constant force over a larger range, this stress value is generally referred to as just yield strength Re.
Calculating the Lower Yield Point
The lower yield strength ReL is determined using the stress strain curve from the tensile test:
Lower yield strength ReL = force at the lower yield strength FeL / initial specimen cross section S0
What is the Minimum Yield Strength?
The minimum yield strength is, on one hand, the value for the minimum yield strength which is stably reached or exceeded for a specific material with the appropriate heat treatment. On the other hand, it is a maximum tensile stress value which must be taken as a basis for the design of components and supporting structures so that permanent deformation in the intended use of the components and supporting structures can be safely avoided.
For the material supplier, the minimum yield strength therefore becomes the minimum value that must be achieved, and for the material user the maximum value that must not be exceeded during design.
How Does the Yield Point Apply to Steel?
The yield point indicates the end of the elastic behavior of the material and the start of the plastic behavior. This means that if the yield point is exceeded, the material is irreversibly, or in other words permanently, plastically deformed.
As a rule, components and constructions can no longer be used safely if the yield point is exceeded even locally or partially.
Offset yield
The offset yield is an arbitrary point on the stress-strain curve. It is mainly used for materials that do not have a pronounced yield strength. With a continuous transition between the material’s elastic and plastic range, the yield strength cannot be clearly defined. Often an offset yield of 0.2% is used.
What is the Offset Yield Rp0.2?
The offset yield Rp0.2 is the tensile stress in a uniaxial tensile test, at which the plastic elongation corresponds to a percentage of 0.2% of the extensometer gauge length. Based on the initial length, the specimen was elongated by 0.2% in the plastic range.
Cold-rolled or cold formed materials do not have a pronounced yield point. Generally for these materials an offset yield of 0.2% (Rp0,2) is determined and specified. This 0.2 % offset yield can always be clearly determined from the stress-strain diagram (which is not always the case for an upper yield point).
Testing machines for determination of the yield strength and offset yield
zwickiLine For small test loads up to 5 kN
Industries
- Universal
Test load
- 0.5 kN - 5 kN
Type of test
- Tensile test
- Compression test
- Flexure test
Applications
- Universal testing applications in a small force range
- Materials testing in clean rooms
ProLine for standardized tests
Industries
- Universal
Test load
- 5 kN - 100 kN
Type of test
- Tensile test
- Compression test
- Flexure test
Applications
- Simple test applications
AllroundLine Individual and versatile
Industries
- Universal
Test load
- 5kN - 250kN
Type of test
- Tensile test
- Compression test
- Flexure test
Applications
- Universal testing applications in a medium force range
Tensile Testing Machine for High Test Loads From 330 kN Z330E, Z400E, Z600E, Z1000E, Z1200E, Z1600E, Z2000E, Z2500E
Industries
- Metals
- Composites
- Textiles
Test load
- 330 - 2,500 kN
Type of test
- Tensile
- Compression
- Flexure
- Shear
Applications
- ISO 6892
- ISO 15630
- ISO 898
Additional Information on Tensile Tests
Tensile test