Poisson's ratio Page 1 of 6

Engineering ToolBox - Resources, Tools and Basic Information for Engineering and Design of Technical Applications!

- the most efficient way to navigate the Engineering ToolBox!

Custom Search
Poisson's ratio
When a material is stretched in one direction it tends to get thinner in the other two directions
Sponsored Links

When a sample of material is stretched in one direction it tends to get thinner in the lateral direction - and if a sample is compressed
in one direction it tends to get thicker in the lateral direction.

Poisson's ratio is

• the ratio of the relative contraction strain (transverse, lateral or radial strain) normal to the applied load - to the relative
extension strain (or axial strain) in the direction of the applied load

Poisson's Ratio can be expressed as

μ = - εt / εl (1)

where

μ = Poisson's ratio

εt = transverse strain (m/m, ft/ft)

εl = longitudinal or axial strain (m/m, ft/ft)

Strain is defined as "deformation of a solid due to stress".

Longitudinal (or axial) strain can be expressed as

εl = dl / L (2)

where

εl = longitudinal or axial strain (dimensionless - or m/m, ft/ft)

dl = change in length (m, ft)

L = initial length (m, ft)

Contraction (or transverse, lateral or radial) strain can be expressed as

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/poissons-ratio-d_1224.html 23-Apr-18
Poisson's ratio Page 2 of 6

εt = dr / r (2)

where

εt = transverse, lateral or radial strain (dimensionless - or m/m, ft/ft)

dr = change in radius (m, ft)

r = initial radius (m, ft)

Example - Stretching Aluminum

An aluminum bar with length 10 m and radius 100 mm (100 10-3 m) is stretched 5 mm (5 10-3 m). The radial contraction in lateral
direction can be calculated by combining eq. (1) and (2) to

μ = - (dr / r) / (dl / L) (3)

- and rearranging to

dr = - μ r dl / L (3b)

With Poisson's ratio for aluminum 0.334 - the contraction can be calculated as

dr = - 0.334 (100 10-3 m) (5 10-3 m) / (10 m)

= 1.7 10-5 m

= 0.017 mm

Poisson's Ratios for Common Materials

For most common materials the Poisson's ratio is in the range 0 - 0.5. Typical Poisson's Ratios for some common materials are
indicated below.

Poisson's Ratio
Material
-μ-
Upper limit 0.5
Aluminum 0.334
Aluminum, 6061-T6 0.35
Aluminum, 2024-T4 0.32
Beryllium Copper 0.285
Brass, 70-30 0.331
Brass, cast 0.357
Bronze 0.34
Clay 0.41
Concrete 0.1 - 0.2
Copper 0.355
Cork 0
Glass, Soda 0.22
Glass, Float 0.2 - 0.27
Granite 0.2 - 0.3
Ice 0.33
Inconel 0.27 - 0.38
Iron, Cast - gray 0.211
Iron, Cast 0.22 - 0.30
Iron, Ductile 0.26 - 0.31
Iron, Malleable 0.271
Lead 0.431
Limestone 0.2 - 0.3
Magnesium 0.35
Magnesium Alloy 0.281
Marble 0.2 - 0.3
Molybdenum 0.307
Monel metal 0.315
Nickel Silver 0.322
Nickel Steel 0.291
Polystyrene 0.34
Phosphor Bronze 0.359
Rubber 0.48 - ~0.5
Sand 0.29

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/poissons-ratio-d_1224.html 23-Apr-18
Poisson's ratio Page 3 of 6

Poisson's Ratio
Material
-μ-
Sandy loam 0.31
Sandy clay 0.37
Stainless Steel 18-8 0.305
Steel, cast 0.265
Steel, Cold-rolled 0.287
Steel, high carbon 0.295
Steel, mild 0.303
Titanium (99.0 Ti) 0.32
Wrought iron 0.278
Z-nickel 0.36
Zinc 0.331

Sponsored Links

Related Topics
• Miscellaneous - Engineering related topics like Beaufort Wind Scale, CE-marking, drawing standards and more
• Mechanics - Forces, acceleration, displacement, vectors, motion, momentum, energy of objects and more

Related Documents
• Malleability, Brittlenes and Ductility - Plastic deformation properties
• Metals and Alloys - Bulk Modulus - Bulk modulus of some common metals and alloys
• Metals Machinability - Machinability of metals
• Modulus of Rigidity - Shear Modulus (Modulus of Rigidity) is the elasticity coefficient for shearing or torsion force
• Poisson's Ratio for Metals - Some metals and their Poisson's Ratio
• Ratios and Proportions - Relative values between quantities - ratios and proportions
• Stress, Strain and Young's Modulus - Stress is force per unit area - strain is the deformation of a solid due to stress
• Young's Modulus - Tensile and Yield Strength for common Materials - Young's Modulus or Tensile Modulus alt. Modulus
of Elasticity - and Ultimate Tensile and Yield Strength for steel, glass, wood and other common materials
• Young's Modulus of Elasticity for Metals and Alloys - Elastic properties and Young's modulus for metals and alloys like
cast iron, carbon steel and more

Tag Search
• en: poissons ratio stress strain stretch
• es: poissons relación cepa tensión de estiramiento
• de: Poissons Verhältnis Spannungs-Dehnungs-Strecke
Sponsored Links

Search the Engineering ToolBox

- the most efficient way to navigate the Engineering ToolBox!
Custom Search

Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Extension - Online 3D modeling!

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/poissons-ratio-d_1224.html 23-Apr-18
Poisson's ratio Page 4 of 6

Add standard and customized parametric components - like flange beams, lumbers, piping, stairs and more - to your Sketchup model
with the Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Extension - enabled for use with the amazing, fun and free SketchUp Make and SketchUp
Pro .Add the Engineering ToolBox extension to your SketchUp from the SketchUp Pro Sketchup Extension Warehouse!

Translate this page to

About the Engineering ToolBox!
Citation
This page can be cited as

• Engineering ToolBox, (2008). Poisson's ratio. [online] Available at: https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/poissons-

ratio-d_1224.html [Accessed Day Mo. Year].

Modify access date.

Customize Ads in the ToolBox

Make ads more useful in Google Ad Settings .

Advertise in the ToolBox

If you want to promote your products or services in the Engineering ToolBox - please use Google Adwords. You can target the
Engineering ToolBox by using AdWords Managed Placements.

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/poissons-ratio-d_1224.html 23-Apr-18
Poisson's ratio Page 5 of 6

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/poissons-ratio-d_1224.html 23-Apr-18
Poisson's ratio Page 6 of 6

Scientific Online Calculator

4 20

Sponsored Links
.
Share this Page!

Make Shortcut to Home Screen?

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/poissons-ratio-d_1224.html 23-Apr-18