Strain
Mechanical Engineering · Aerospace Engineering · Engineering Fundamentals · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: The ratio of change in length to original length of a material under load. It is a dimensionless measure of deformation.
Example in context
“The maximum strain measured in the tensile test on the steel specimen was 0.002 at the yield point.”
“Çelik numune üzerinde yapılan çekme testinde ölçülen maksimum gerinme akma noktasında 0.002 idi.”
Where engineers use it
Strain is used in stress-strain analysis to quantify deformation. Engineers measure strain with strain gauges in structural tests and finite element simulations to ensure components remain within allowable limits.
Synonyms: deformation (in context of unit elongation), unit deformation
In Aerospace Engineering
Strain is the deformation per unit original length of a material in response to stress. It is a dimensionless measure of the relative displacement between points in a continuous body.
“Strain gauge data from the static test indicate that the fuselage panel experienced 0.2% elongation at limit load.”
In Engineering Fundamentals
The relative deformation of a material, expressed as the change in length divided by the original length, produced by applied stress.
“Gauges attached to the beam measured the strain as the load increased step by step.”
Practice: can you use “Strain” at work?
A mechanical engineer is reviewing strain data from a load test on a bridge girder. They need to compare measured strain with the material's yield strain to assess safety.
Show a model answer
“The strain value must not exceed the yield strain for safe design.”
“Strain” in 21 languages
| English | Strain |
|---|---|
| Turkish | gerinme |
| French | déformation |
| German | Dehnung |
| Spanish | deformación |
| Chinese | 应变 |
| Arabic | انفعال |
| Portuguese | deformação |
| Russian | деформация |
| Japanese | ひずみ |
| Italian | deformazione |
| Vietnamese | biến dạng |
| Hindi | विकृति |
| Thai | ความเครียด |
| Indonesian | regangan |
| Korean | 변형률 |
| Bengali | স্ট্রেন |
| Dutch | rek |
| Swedish | töjning |
| Finnish | venymä |
| Ukrainian | деформація |
Frequently asked questions
What does Strain mean in engineering?
The ratio of change in length to original length of a material under load. It is a dimensionless measure of deformation. In Mechanical Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Strain?
Strain is pronounced /streɪn/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Strain used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The maximum strain measured in the tensile test on the steel specimen was 0.002 at the yield point.”
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