Often, “elastic section modulus” is referred to as simply “section modulus. Elastic section modulus applies to designs that are within the elastic limit of a material, which is the most common case. There are two types of section moduli: elastic section modulus and plastic section modulus. The units of section modulus are length^3. Section modulus is a geometric property of a cross section used in the design of beams or other flexural members that will experience deflection due to an applied bending moment.
