Which mechanical property measures a material's resistance to deformation under pressure?

Compressive strength is the mechanical property that specifically measures a material's ability to withstand axial loads that tend to compress or shorten it. This property is critical in engineering and construction applications, where materials are subjected to forces that push them together, such as columns, concrete blocks, and structural components. Compressive strength indicates how much load a material can bear before failure, which is key when selecting materials for projects that require durability and stability under compression.

In contrast, elasticity pertains to a material's ability to return to its original shape after the removal of a load; plasticity refers to the deformation of a material that remains after the load is removed; and hardness measures a material's resistance to localized plastic deformation rather than bulk compression. Therefore, while all these properties contribute to understanding material behavior, compressive strength is the most relevant for assessing resistance specifically under compressive forces.