Materials / Compare
Brick vs. Steel AISI 4340
Compare Brick vs. Steel AISI 4340 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | not given (tensile used) | 1,035MPasourcetypical, transverse |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 5.1MPasourcemodulus of rupture (no direct tensile value) | 1,140MPasourcetypical, transverse |
| Compressive strength | 77.9MPasourcemean unit compressive strength, solid extruded brick (survey mean; SD 30.8 MPa) | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | not sourced | 18%sourcetypical, transverse |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | not sourced | 200GPasourceMIL-HDBK-5J design value (AISI 4340, quenched and tempered) |
| Density | 2,082kg/m³sourceface brick density row used for k (BIA notes most fired clay brick 120-130 lb/ft3) | 7,840kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 2.45kN·m/kg | 132kN·m/kg53.9x higher |
| Stiffness to weight | not sourced | 25.5MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | not sourced | 0.32sourceMIL-HDBK-5J design value (AISI 4340, quenched and tempered) |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 75.7GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 185GPa |
| Speed of sound | not sourced | 5,049m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.92–1.12W/m·Ksourcerange for 130 lb/ft3 face brick (ASHRAE 2013 via BIA) | 37.5W/m·Ksourcetypical |
| Thermal expansion | 7.2µm/m·KsourceTMS Code average coefficient, clay/shale unit masonry | 11.3µm/m·Ksourcemean, -18 to 93 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 36µm growth1.57x less | 56.5µm growth |
| Specific heat | 837J/kg·Ksourcevalue used in BIA heat-capacity sample calculation | 448J/kg·Ksourcetypical |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.585mm²/s | 10.7mm²/s18.2x faster |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 11,678W/m |
| Values for | Solid extruded clay/shale brick units (BIA 1993 manufacturer survey, TN 3A 2024); face brick of 130 lb/ft3 for thermal properties (BIA TN 4, from ASHRAE 2013); CTE is the TMS Code value for clay/shale masonry | Carpenter (Latrobe) Lescalloy 4340 VAC-ARC datasheet; mechanical row for 1100 °F temper; physical properties grade-level |
Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Is Brick stronger than Steel AISI 4340?
Steel AISI 4340 is stronger: its yield strength is 1,035 MPa against tensile strength 5.1 MPa for Brick (203x).
Which is lighter, Brick or Steel AISI 4340?
Brick is lighter: 2,082 kg/m³ against 7,840 kg/m³ for Steel AISI 4340.
Which is lighter for the same job, Brick or Steel AISI 4340?
For the same stiffness or strength: Steel AISI 4340 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Brick | Steel AISI 4340 |
|---|---|---|
| Strong rod or tie | 53.9x heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | 9.17x heavier | lighter |
| Strong panel or plate | 3.78x 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 conducts heat better, Brick or Steel AISI 4340?
Steel AISI 4340 conducts heat better: 37.5 W/m·K against 1.02 W/m·K for Brick.
Which expands less with temperature?
Brick expands less: 7.2 µm/m·K against 11.3 µm/m·K for Steel AISI 4340.