mechanical test measuring the maximum amount of compressive load a material can bear before fracturing. The test piece, usually in the form of a cube, prism, or cylinder, is compressed between the platens of a compression-testing machine by a gradually applied load.

Brittle materials such as rock, brick, cast iron, and concrete may exhibit great compressive strengths; but ultimately they fracture. The crushing strength of concrete, determined by breaking a cube, and often called the cube strength, reaches values of about 3 tons per square inch, that of granite 10 tons per square inch, and that of cast iron from 25 to 60 tons per square inch.

Some ductile metals, such as mild steel, have very great compressive strengths; but the actual values are difficult to measure. When a load is applied to a ductile metal, it deforms elastically up to a certain point, and then plastic deformation occurs. Increasing loads may even completely flatten a test piece without any definite fracture occurring, so that no value can be obtained for the compressive strength. The custom of quoting tensile-strength values in these cases is inaccurate but safe, compressive strength being always greater.