Cold drawn steel loses what percentage of its strength at 800°F?

Cold drawn steel loses what percentage of its strength at 800°F?

• A. 35%
• B. 55%
• C. 75%
• D. 10%

Answer: (D)

When steel has been cold worked, it gains high strength at room temperature due to dislocation entanglement from the deformation. As temperature rises, the material softens because these dislocations can move more easily, but for cold-drawn steel the softening at moderate elevated temperatures is relatively small. At 800°F, the strength loss is about ten percent, so the steel still retains roughly 90% of its room-temperature strength. This modest drop contrasts with much larger losses that occur at higher temperatures or with less heat-resistant materials, which is why ten percent is the best fit for this scenario.

When steel has been cold worked, it gains high strength at room temperature due to dislocation entanglement from the deformation. As temperature rises, the material softens because these dislocations can move more easily, but for cold-drawn steel the softening at moderate elevated temperatures is relatively small. At 800°F, the strength loss is about ten percent, so the steel still retains roughly 90% of its room-temperature strength. This modest drop contrasts with much larger losses that occur at higher temperatures or with less heat-resistant materials, which is why ten percent is the best fit for this scenario.