breukpunt

Breukpunt is a Dutch term that literally means breaking point or fracture point. It is used in several domains to denote a threshold beyond which something fails or undergoes a qualitative change.

In materials science and engineering, the breukpunt is the stress, strain, or load at which a material fractures under external forces. It is distinct from the yield point, where plastic deformation begins, and from the ultimate tensile strength, the maximum stress the material can withstand. Fracture behavior can be brittle, with little deformation, or ductile, with noticeable necking before rupture. The measured breukpunt depends on factors such as temperature, loading rate, and material flaws; fracture toughness describes resistance to crack propagation, and tests such as tensile, Charpy, or Izod are used to quantify it.

In statistics and data analysis, breukpunt can refer to a breakpoint in a piecewise regression or a change-point analysis—an observation or time where the relationship between variables changes significantly. Identifying breakpoints helps to model regime shifts, structural breaks, or policy impacts.

In everyday language, breukpunt denotes a turning point or tipping point in a process, relationship, or life course, after which the situation cannot remain the same. The term is used metaphorically for moments of crisis or decisive change.