This paper presents the results of quasi-static and dynamic tensile tests on 2, 3 and 4 mm thick 316L austenitic stainless steel. It details the test conditions and discusses the results, particularly focusing on strain rate sensitivity and methods of employing the tensile properties in the ®nite element package, ABAQUS. The results show that the stainless steel is moderately strain rate sensitive in the region of yield. At the ultimate tensile strength (UTS), some negative strain rate sensitivity was observed, which previous researchers for this grade of steel have not reported. Two main conclusions were drawn, namely (a) the strain rate sensitivity was too complex to be modelled accurately by a constitutive equation such as the Cowper±Symonds relation and (b) the properties of the tested materials could be accurately described by a few (true stress, logarithmic strain) coordinate pairs, as linear strain hardening was observed, for a given strain rate. Keywords: tensile testing, stainless steel, material properties, strain rate behaviour, negative rate sensitivity NOTATION A area of cross-section D, q Cowper±Symonds coe cients e engineering strain e r engineering rupture strain (% elongation) _ e e engineering strain rate (s 1 ) _ e e y yield strain rate _ e e u overall (average) strain rate F applied force S engineering stress S 0 static engineering¯ow stress S 0 0 dynamic engineering¯ow stress t time UTS ultimate tensile strength " true strain " r true rupture strain true stress r true rupture stress 1 INTRODUCTION