The internal resistance or

reaction of an elastic
body to external forces
applied to it. Equal to the
STRESS ratio of force to area and
expressed in units of
force per unit of cross-
sectional area. Also
called unit stress.

The time-dependent
decrease in stress in a
constrained material
under a constant load.
STRESS
RELAXATION

Diagram of the loading

system for stress
relaxation test.

The brittle behavior low

TEMPERATU temperatures can cause
RE EFFECT in a normally ductile
material

An applied force
TENSILE producing or tending to
FORCE produce tension in an
elastic body
 The resistance of a
material to longitudinal
stress, measured by the
TENSILE
minimum amount of
STRENGTH
longitudinal stress
required to rupture the
material

The axial stress that

develops at the cross
TENSILE section of an elastic body
STRESS to resist the collinear
tensile forces tending to
elongate it

The elongation of a unit

TENSILE length of material
STRAIN produced by a tensile
stress

The act of stretching or

state of being pulled
TENSION apart, resulting in the
elongation of an elastic
body.

The moment of a force

system that causes or
TORQUE
tends to cause rotation or
torsion
The twisting of an elastic
body about its
longitudinal axis caused
TORSION by two equal and
opposite torques,
producing shearing
stresses in the body
 The property of a material
that enables it to absorb
energy before rupturing,
represented by the area
under the stress-strain
TOUGHNESS
curve derived from a
tensile test of the
material. Ductile
materials are tougher the
brittle materials.
A force applied
perpendicular to the
TRANSVERS
length of a structural
E FORCE
member, producing
bonding and shear
The stress necessary to
produce a specific limiting
permanent set in a
material, usually 0.2% of
its original length when
YIELD tested in tension. Yield
STRENGTH strength is used to
determine the limit of
usefulness of a material
having a poorly defined
yield point. Also called
poor stress
Coefficient of elasticity of
material expressing the
YOUNG’S ratio of longitudinal stress
MODULUS to the corresponding
longitudinal strain caused STRESS
=SLOPE
by the strain STRAIN
GRADING AND EARTHWORK
Is in-place
solid rock

BEDROCK

Is a relatively
level step
excavated
into earth
material on
BENCH which fill is to
be placed
 Is earth
material
acquired from
an off site
BORROW location for
use in grading
on site

Is the
densification
of a fill by
mechanical
COMPACTION means

Is any rock,
natural soil or
EARTH fill or any
MATERIAL combination
thereof

Is the wearing
away of the
ground
surface as a
EROSION
result of the
movement of
the wind,
water, or ice.