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Concrete vs. Stainless 304

Compare Concrete vs. Stainless 304 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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ConcreteCast
Stainless 304Wrought
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Mechanical
Yield strengthnot sourced241MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C)
Ultimate tensile strengthnot sourced586MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C)
Compressive strength27.6MPasourcespecified compressive strength class (f'c), not a measured typicalnot sourced
Elongation at breaknot sourced55%sourcetypical, annealed, in 2 in. (50.8 mm)
Young's modulus (stiffness)not sourced193GPasourcetypical, in tension
Density2,240–2,400kg/m³sourcerange for normalweight concrete8,030kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weightnot sourced30kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weightnot sourced24MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.15–0.2sourcegeneral range at normal ambient conditions (overall 0.11-0.32)0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels)
Shear modulusnot sourced74.2GPa
Bulk modulusnot sourced161GPa
Speed of soundnot sourced4,903m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity0.9W/m·Ksourcetypical (comparative value)16.2W/m·Ksourceat 100 °C
Thermal expansion8–12µm/m·Ksourcetypical range for portland cement concrete (aggregate dependent)16.9µm/m·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing50µm growth1.69x less84.5µm growth
Specific heat900J/kg·Ksourcetypical (NIST guidance for thermal analysis)500J/kg·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)0.431mm²/s4.03mm²/s9.36x faster
Thermal shock resistancenot sourced838W/m
Melting pointnot sourced1,399–1,454°Csourcemelting range
Max service temperature65°Csourcecode long-term temperature limit (ASME Code, concrete containments)899°Csourcecontinuous, oxidation (scaling) limit in air
Values forNormal-weight portland cement concrete, strength class f'c = 4000 psi (28 MPa) per NRMCA CIP 35; density NRMCA CIP 36; thermal conductivity USDA FPL Wood Handbook; service temperature ORNL/NRC reviewType 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

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

Which is lighter, Concrete or Stainless 304?

Concrete is lighter: 2,320 kg/m³ against 8,030 kg/m³ for Stainless 304.

Which conducts heat better, Concrete or Stainless 304?

Stainless 304 conducts heat better: 16.2 W/m·K against 0.9 W/m·K for Concrete.

Which expands less with temperature?

Concrete expands less: 10 µm/m·K against 16.9 µm/m·K for Stainless 304.

Among 59 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless 303Stainless 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelStainless 304
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless 303Stainless 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickStainless 304
Strength against density

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