Material Properties Table

Typical values for common structural materials

US Units

Material	E (ksi)	G (ksi)	ν	Fy / Fu (ksi)	Density (lb/ft³)	α (10⁻⁶/°F)
Structural steel A36	29,000	11,200	0.30	36 / 58	490	6.5
Structural steel A992	29,000	11,200	0.30	50 / 65	490	6.5
Steel A572 Grade 50	29,000	11,200	0.30	50 / 65	490	6.5
Steel A500 Grade C	29,000	11,200	0.30	50 / 62	490	6.5
Rebar A615 Grade 60	29,000	11,200	0.30	60 / 90	490	6.5
Stainless steel 304	28,000	11,200	0.29	30 / 75	500	9.6
Aluminum 6061-T6	10,000	3,800	0.33	35 / 38	169	13.1
Concrete, f'c = 4,000 psi	3,600	1,500	0.15 to 0.20	see note	145	5.5
Douglas Fir-Larch No. 2	1,600	n/a	0.3 to 0.4	see note	34	2.0

SI Units

Material	E (GPa)	G (GPa)	ν	Fy / Fu (MPa)	Density (kg/m³)	α (10⁻⁶/°C)
Structural steel A36	200	77.2	0.30	250 / 400	7,850	11.7
Structural steel A992	200	77.2	0.30	345 / 450	7,850	11.7
Steel A572 Grade 50	200	77.2	0.30	345 / 450	7,850	11.7
Steel A500 Grade C	200	77.2	0.30	345 / 425	7,850	11.7
Rebar A615 Grade 60	200	77.2	0.30	420 / 620	7,850	11.7
Stainless steel 304	193	77.0	0.29	205 / 515	8,000	17.3
Aluminum 6061-T6	69.0	26.0	0.33	240 / 260	2,700	23.6
Concrete, f'c = 4,000 psi	25.0	10.4	0.15 to 0.20	see note	2,320	10.0
Douglas Fir-Larch No. 2	11.0	n/a	0.3 to 0.4	see note	540	3.6

Notes

Structural steel A36: Plates, angles, channels (ASTM A36 minimums).
Structural steel A992: W shapes (ASTM A992 minimums).
Steel A572 Grade 50: Plates and shapes (ASTM A572 minimums).
Steel A500 Grade C: Rectangular HSS (round HSS: Fy = 46 ksi).
Rebar A615 Grade 60: Deformed reinforcing bars (ASTM A615 minimums).
Stainless steel 304: Annealed plate (ASTM A240 minimums).
Aluminum 6061-T6: Extrusions (Aluminum Design Manual minimums).
Concrete, f'c = 4,000 psi: Normalweight; E = 57,000√f'c (ACI 318). f'c = 4 ksi (28 MPa) compression; fr = 0.47 ksi (3.3 MPa) rupture.
Douglas Fir-Larch No. 2: Sawn lumber, NDS Supplement reference design values. Fb = 900 psi bending, Fc = 1,350 psi compression parallel, Ft = 575 psi.

Fy is minimum yield and Fu is minimum tensile strength. E, G, ν, density and α are typical values. Concrete modulus changes with strength; see the concrete modulus table.

Material Properties FAQ

What is the modulus of elasticity of steel?

E = 29,000 ksi (200 GPa) for structural and reinforcing steel, regardless of grade. Higher grades are stronger but not stiffer.

What is the shear modulus of steel?

G = 11,200 ksi (77.2 GPa), as used by AISC. It follows from G = E / (2(1 + ν)) with ν = 0.3.

What is the difference between A36 and A992 steel?

A36 has a minimum yield of 36 ksi and is used mostly for plates, angles and channels. A992 has a minimum yield of 50 ksi and is the standard grade for W shapes in the US.

Are these design values?

Steel and aluminum strengths are specified minimums from the ASTM standards and the Aluminum Design Manual. Other values are typical and vary by product, so check the governing code and the mill certificate for design.