How much crushing force concrete can withstand before it breaks — the primary measure of concrete quality.
The measured capacity of concrete to resist axial loads that crush or compress it, expressed in pounds per square inch (PSI) or megapascals (MPa). Standard test cylinders are cast from concrete samples and broken at 28 days to verify compressive strength. Typical structural concrete ranges from 3,000 to 5,000 PSI; high-strength mixes can exceed 10,000 PSI.
The parking structure was specified at 5,000 PSI compressive strength to handle the combined live and dead loads.
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