GERTC Principles of Surveying, Analysis, and Design (PSAD) Practice Exam 2025 – Your All-in-One Guide to Mastering the Exam!

The type of strain that occurs up to the point of rupture in ductile materials is tensile strain. Ductile materials are characterized by their ability to undergo significant plastic deformation before rupture, which often occurs under tensile loading conditions.

When a load is applied to a ductile material, it first experiences elastic strain, which is reversible deformation. This occurs up to the proportional limit. Beyond that point, as the load continues to increase, the material enters the yield point where it experiences plastic strain, which is permanent deformation. Tensile strain specifically refers to the deformation experienced by the material in response to axial loading, which can continue to increase until the material ultimately ruptures. Therefore, tensile strain encompasses both elastic and plastic deformation phases up to the point of breaking.

In contrast, creep strain refers to the slow, time-dependent deformation under a constant load, which is not directly related to the immediate rupture. Elastic strain only accounts for reversible deformation and does not reach the rupture point. Plastic strain signifies permanent deformation but is not solely limited to the strain caused by tension. Hence, tensile strain is the most appropriate choice to represent the entire process leading up to rupture in ductile materials.