Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weightThermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
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Sources6 documents: Cleveland-Cliffs, American Institute of Steel Construction, bauforumstahl (ArcelorMittal), Steel Construction Institute, Ovako
Stainless Steel 304
Type 304, annealed flat-rolled (Cleveland-Cliffs 304/304L Product Data Bulletin, May 2021); Poisson's ratio from the Nickel Institute/SCI structural stainless design manual
Steel
Generic structural steel, cited as ASTM A992 (the current US structural grade): ASTM A992 W-shapes; Fy/Fu specified minimums from AISC publications (AISC 360-16 Commentary; Modern Steel Construction); elastic constants AISC 360; physical constants from the bauforumstahl structural-steel EPD, which names A992 among covered product standards.
1
304/304L Stainless Steel Product Data Bulletin (2021)Cleveland-CliffsStainless Steel 304 · Yield strength: typical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C)Stainless Steel 304 · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C)Stainless Steel 304 · Elongation at break: typical, annealed, in 2 in. (50.8 mm)Stainless Steel 304 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical, in tensionStainless Steel 304 · Density: typicalStainless Steel 304 · Thermal conductivity: at 100 °CStainless Steel 304 · Thermal expansion: mean, 0–100 °CStainless Steel 304 · Specific heat: mean, 0–100 °CStainless Steel 304 · Melting point: melting rangeStainless Steel 304 · Max service temperature: continuous, oxidation (scaling) limit in air
2
Updating Standard Shape Material Properties Database for Design and ReliabilityAmerican Institute of Steel Constructionarchived copySteel · Yield strength: typical: mean of 20,295 A992 flange mill-test coupons (1998 SSPC survey), as reported by AISCSteel · Ultimate tensile strength: typical: mean of 20,295 A992 flange mill-test coupons (1998 SSPC survey)Steel · Elongation at break: typical: mean of 24,847 A992 mill-test elongations, web and flange (1998 SSPC mill data), as reported by AISC
3
ANSI/AISC 360-16 Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, with CommentaryAmerican Institute of Steel Constructionarchived copySteel · Young's modulus (stiffness): design value (AISC 360-16)Steel · Poisson's ratio: design value (AISC 360-16 Commentary)
4
Environmental Product Declaration: Structural Steel Sections and Merchant Bars (2023)bauforumstahl (ArcelorMittal)archived copySteel · Density: nominal (constructional data)Steel · Thermal conductivity: nominal at 20 °CSteel · Thermal expansion: nominal (constructional data, no temperature range stated)
5
Design Manual for Structural Stainless Steel, 4th Edition (P413)Steel Construction Institutearchived copyStainless Steel 304 · Poisson's ratio: design value (structural stainless steels)
6
S275JR Steel GradeOvakoSteel · Specific heat: base material: EN S275JR unalloyed structural steel (the EN counterpart of A36), typical, 50/100 °C
Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Mechanical
Is Stainless Steel 304 stronger than Steel?
Steel is stronger: its yield strength is 385 MPa against 241 MPa for Stainless Steel 304 (1.6x).
Which is lighter, Stainless Steel 304 or Steel?
Steel is lighter: 7,850 kg/m³ against 8,030 kg/m³ for Stainless Steel 304.
Which is stiffer, Stainless Steel 304 or Steel?
Steel is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 193 GPa for Stainless Steel 304, so the same part in Steel deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Stainless Steel 304 or Steel?
For the same stiffness or strength: Steel is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
Part that must be
Stainless Steel 304
Steel
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
6% heavier
lighter
Stiff beam (bending)
4% heavier
lighter
Stiff panel or plate
4% heavier
lighter
Strong rod or tie
1.63x heavier
lighter
Strong beam
40% heavier
lighter
Strong panel or plate
29% heavier
lighter
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which is more ductile, Stainless Steel 304 or Steel?
Stainless Steel 304 stretches further before it breaks: 55% elongation at break against 24.2% for Steel.
Thermal
Which conducts heat better, Stainless Steel 304 or Steel?
Steel conducts heat better: 48 W/m·K against 16.2 W/m·K for Stainless Steel 304.
Which expands less with temperature?
Steel expands less: 12 µm/m·K against 16.9 µm/m·K for Stainless Steel 304.