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13.4 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES Various types of steel are available to meet specific service conditions (e.g., improved resistance to atmospheric corrosion). Selection of an appropriate grade of steel, or combination of type and strength level, has therefore become a primary consideration in the design of structural steel members. Although there is some variability in their mechanical properties, structural steels are generally more uniform than most other construction materials. Variations in properties occur both within and between pieces because of differences in chemical composition (due to segregation of certain elements during the casting and solidification processes) and in mechanical and thermal treatment during the manufacturing processes (degree of reduction during rolling, cooling rates during heat treatment, etc.). The distribution of tensile properties for a particular structural steel (ASTM A2BS, grade C carbon steel plate) is shown in Figure 13.10. This type of variability has been recognised by the producers and users of structural steels and is taken into account in the design process. Figure 13.10 Distribution of tensile parties of ASTM A285, grade C carbon steel plate (Data represent all the as-rolled plate (224 heats for 6 steel mills) purchased to this specification by one Fabricator during a period 8 years). (after Metals Handbook (10th ed.). Vol. 1 Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys, ASM International, 1990, p. 196). 13.4.1 Stress-Strain Behavior Under normal conditions, the response of structural steels to applied load or stress can be described as being ductile, in that substantial plastic deformation occurs before fracture, and independent of time. This type of behavior has been described in general terms in Chapter 5, but the particular aspects of the behavior of these materials are considered here. The following characteristics of the behavior of a steel are shown by the stress-strain curve for uniaxial t