| Brinell Hardness Number | (english) The value of hardness of a metal on an arbitrary scale representing kg/mm2, determined by measuring the diameter of the impression made by a ball of given diameter applied under a known load. Values are expressed in Brinell Hardness Numbers, BHN |
| Brinell Hardness Test | (english) A common standard method of measuring the hardness of materials. The smooth surface of the metal is subjected to indentation by a hardened steel ball under pressure. The diameter of the indentation, in the material surface, is then measured by a microscope and the hardness value is read from a chart or determined by a prescribed formula. |
| Bronze | (english) An alloy containing 90% copper and 10% tin. Used for screws, wire, hardware, wear plates, bushings and springs; it is somewhat stronger than copper and brass and has equal or better ductility. |
| Burning | (english) (1) Permanently damaging a metal or alloy by heating to cause either incipient melting or intergranular oxidation. (2) In grinding getting the work hot enough to cause discoloration or to change the microstructure by tempering or hardening. |
| Busheling | (english) A widely traded form of steel scrap consisting of sheet clips and stampings from metal production. Bushel baskets were used to collect the material through World War II, giving rise to the term. |
| Inelastic: | (english) Not surprisingly, the opposite of elastic. A deformation of a structure or material under load is described as inelastic when the deformation remains after the load is removed. The term plastic is often used with the same meaning. |
| Load: | (english) An external force. The term load is sometimes used to describe more general actions such as temperature differentials or movements such as foundation settlements. |
| Magnitude: | (english) A scalar value having physical units. |
| Pressure: | (english) Pressure is a similar idea to stress, the force intensity at a point, except that pressure means something acting on the surface of an object rather than within the material of the object. When discussing the pressure within a fluid, the meaning is equivalent to stress. |
| Scalar: | (english) A mathematical entity which has a numeric value but no direction (in contrast to a vector). |