Updated: August 2025 | Category: Civil Engineering, Strength of Materials
Target Exams: JKSSB JE Civil, SSC JE, RRB JE, State Engineering Exams
🔹 Introduction
In Strength of Materials (SOM), the properties of engineering materials define how a material responds not only to external forces such as tension, compression, bending, shear, and torsion, but also to environmental effects like temperature changes, humidity, chemical exposure, and prolonged loading over time (creep and fatigue). These properties guide engineers in predicting material performance under service conditions.
Civil engineers must select materials wisely, considering mechanical strength, ductility, toughness, hardness, thermal expansion, corrosion resistance, and long-term durability to ensure structural safety, cost-effectiveness, and service life.
In JKSSB Civil exams, properties of materials are one of the most frequently tested topics. The questions are usually conceptual and often require knowing:
- Definitions
- Units and symbols
- Typical values for common materials
- Application examples
📌 Importance in Civil Engineering
- Material selection: Ensures that the chosen material can withstand the expected loads, environmental conditions, and service life requirements. It involves evaluating mechanical properties (strength, elasticity, toughness), durability under weathering or chemical exposure, cost-effectiveness, and availability before finalizing a choice.
- Structural safety: Ensures the stability and reliability of structures by preventing failures that may arise from incorrect assumptions about material behavior, load-bearing capacity, or environmental effects, thus safeguarding lives and property.
- Economic design: Optimizes cost while maintaining performance.
- Exam relevance: JKSSB regularly includes direct MCQs like “Which property is the measure of material’s ability to absorb energy before fracture?” or “Poisson’s ratio of steel is approximately…”.
🔄 Classification of Material Properties
Material properties are generally divided into four major categories:
- Mechanical Properties – Related to load and deformation.
- Physical Properties – Related to the inherent physical nature of materials.
- Thermal Properties – Related to heat effects.
- Chemical Properties – Related to chemical composition and reactions.
1️⃣ Mechanical Properties
These determine how materials respond to forces and are crucial in strength calculations.
Elasticity
- Definition: Ability of a material to regain its original shape and size after removal of load.
- Example: Steel has high elasticity — reason why it’s used in RCC.
- Measure: Modulus of Elasticity (E), unit: MPa or GPa.
- JKSSB Tip: For steel, E ≈ 2 × 10⁵ MPa.
Plasticity
- Definition: Ability to retain permanent deformation without fracture.
- Example: Lead, copper — useful in sheet metal work.
- Importance: In civil engineering, clay’s plasticity helps in molding bricks.
Ductility
- Definition: Ability to be drawn into thin wires.
- Measure: Percentage elongation before fracture.
- Example: Mild steel is highly ductile; cast iron is not.
Brittleness
- Definition: Breaks suddenly without noticeable deformation.
- Example: Glass, ceramics.
- Note: Brittle materials have low toughness.
Toughness
- Definition: Ability to absorb energy before fracture.
- Test: Izod or Charpy impact test.
- Example: Alloy steels used in earthquake-resistant structures.
Hardness
- Definition: Resistance to indentation, scratching, or wear.
- Tests: Mohs, Brinell, Rockwell, Vickers.
- Example: Diamond is the hardest material.
Creep
- Definition: Time-dependent deformation under constant load, especially at high temperature.
- Example: Railway rails, turbine blades.
Fatigue Strength
- Definition: Resistance to failure under repeated or fluctuating loads.
- Example: Bridge components under traffic loads.
2️⃣ Physical Properties
These are intrinsic characteristics unrelated to applied forces.
Density
- Definition: Mass per unit volume.
- Formula: ρ = Mass / Volume
- Example: Structural steel ≈ 7850 kg/m³.
Specific Gravity
- Definition: Ratio of density of a material to density of water.
- Example: Cement ≈ 3.15.
Porosity
- Definition: Ratio of void volume to total volume.
- Importance: High porosity in concrete can reduce strength.
Permeability
- Definition: Ability to allow fluids to pass.
- Example: Sand has high permeability; clay has low.
Color and Texture
- Used for identification and aesthetics — important in finishing materials.
3️⃣ Thermal Properties
Important for structures exposed to temperature variations.
Thermal Conductivity (k)
- Definition: Ability to conduct heat.
- Example: Metals (high), wood (low).
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (α)
- Definition: Change in length per unit temperature change.
- Example: Steel ≈ 12 × 10⁻⁶ /°C.
Specific Heat Capacity
- Definition: Heat needed to raise 1 kg of material by 1°C.
- Example: Water = 4186 J/kg·K.
4️⃣ Chemical Properties
These determine a material’s durability in chemical environments.
Corrosion Resistance
- Ability to resist rusting/oxidation.
- Example: Stainless steel resists corrosion better than mild steel.
Acid Resistance
- Important for structures in industrial areas.
- Example: Acid-proof bricks.
Alkali Resistance
- Relevant in cement and concrete structures.
🔍 Key Exam-Oriented Facts
- Hooke’s Law: Stress ∝ Strain within elastic limit.
- Poisson’s Ratio (ν): For steel ≈ 0.25–0.3.
- Most ductile material: Gold.
- Hardest naturally occurring substance: Diamond.
- Toughness test: Izod/Charpy.
📚 Quick Reference Table
| Property | Symbol | Unit | Typical Value (Steel) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modulus of Elasticity | E | MPa | 2 × 10⁵ |
| Poisson’s Ratio | ν | – | 0.3 |
| Density | ρ | kg/m³ | 7850 |
| Coefficient of Thermal Expansion | α | 1/°C | 12 × 10⁻⁶ |
📝 Memory Aids for JKSSB
- Mechanical: “E P D B T H C F” (Elasticity, Plasticity, Ductility, Brittleness, Toughness, Hardness, Creep, Fatigue).
- Physical: “D S P P C” (Density, Specific gravity, Porosity, Permeability, Color).
- Thermal: “K α Cp” (Conductivity, Expansion, Specific heat).
💡 Conclusion
A strong grasp of material properties allows engineers to design safe, economical, and durable structures, ensuring they can withstand environmental conditions, load variations, and long-term usage without excessive maintenance.
For JKSSB Civil aspirants, this topic is highly scoring because questions are usually direct and based on standard definitions, units, and real-world examples, making it easier to secure marks with focused preparation.
Regular revision with tables, mnemonics, visual aids, and past exam questions—along with solving numerical problems—will not only reinforce your memory but also improve your speed and accuracy in the exam.
FAQs on Properties of Materials – Strength of Materials
Q1. What are the main properties of materials studied in Strength of Materials?
A: The main properties include elasticity, plasticity, ductility, malleability, toughness, hardness, fatigue strength, creep, resilience, and brittleness.
Q2. Why is elasticity important in civil engineering?
A: Elasticity determines a material’s ability to return to its original shape after the removal of load, which is crucial for structural stability under varying loads.
Q3. How is hardness tested?
A: Common hardness tests include the Brinell, Rockwell, and Vickers hardness tests, which measure resistance to indentation.
Q4. What is the difference between ductility and malleability?
A: Ductility is the ability to be drawn into wires, while malleability is the ability to be hammered or rolled into thin sheets.
Q5. Which property determines a material’s resistance to cyclic loading failure?
A: Fatigue strength.
Most Expected Exam Questions with Answers
1. Which property of material is defined as the ratio of stress to strain within the elastic limit?
A: Modulus of Elasticity.
2. The ability of a material to absorb energy without fracture is called:
A: Toughness.
3. The gradual deformation of a material under constant stress at high temperature is known as:
A: Creep.
4. Which property is critical for earthquake-resistant design?
A: Ductility.
5. The resistance offered by a material to indentation is called:
A: Hardness.
6. Which property is tested using a Charpy or Izod test?
A: Impact strength (toughness).
7. What does resilience measure?
A: The ability to absorb and release elastic energy.
8. The resistance to repeated fluctuating stresses is termed as:
A: Fatigue strength.
9. Which property of material ensures safety against brittle fracture in cold weather?
A: Toughness (especially at low temperatures).
10. In steel, which property is increased by adding carbon?
A: Hardness (but ductility decreases).
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