What is characteristic strength of steel?

Characteristic Strength is a term used regionally in order to describe the engineering strength of a material. In other Words, the Characteristic Strength is the strength of a material (i.e. steel, concrete, etc.) which has been established by a testing and standards body such that, statistically, a defined percentage of material samples, when tested, exhibit strength at or above the characteristic value. This Characteristic Strength is then used by engineers and designers as the material design strength. In the case of steel or other ductile materials which exhibit post-yielding strength, the characteristic strength generally refers to the material elastic response only.