ENVE Urban Systems Practice Exam 2026 – The Comprehensive Guide to Master Your Certification!

Strain hardening describes a material that becomes stronger as it deforms. When a metal is plastically deformed, dislocations multiply and interact, creating obstacles to movement. This makes it harder for additional deformation to occur, so the stress needed to continue deforming increases — the material hardens as it is worked. On a tensile test curve, you see plastic deformation after yielding accompanied by a rising stress level due to this work hardening, until the curve reaches its peak at the ultimate strength, after which necking and eventual fracture can occur. So the behavior described—strengthening with ongoing deformation—is characteristic of strain hardening. Necker, ultimate strength, and fracture describe other aspects of failure or limits rather than the strengthening during deformation.