Ultimate tensile strength (
UTS), often shortened to
tensile strength (
TS) or
ultimate strength, is the capacity of a material or structure to withstand loads tending to elongate, as opposed to
compressive strength, which withstands loads tending to reduce size. In other words, tensile strength resists
tension (being pulled apart), whereas compressive strength resists
compression (being pushed together). Ultimate tensile strength is measured by the maximum
stress that a material can withstand while being stretched or pulled before breaking. In the study of
strength of materials, tensile strength, compressive strength, and
shear strength can be analyzed independently.