Yield strength of steel connecting bars. To protect against earthquake damage, steel beams are typically fitted and connected with plastic hinges. However, these plastic hinges are prone to deformations and are difficult to inspect and repair. An alternative method of connecting steel beams—one that uses high-strength steel bars with clamps—was investigated in Engineering Structures (July 2013). Mathematical models for predicting the performance of these steel connecting bars assume the bars have a mean yield strength of 300 megapascals (MPa). To verify this assumption, the researchers conducted material property tests on the steel connecting bars. In a sample of three tests, the yield strengths were 354, 370, and 359 MPa. Do the data indicate that the true mean yield strength of the steel bars exceeds 300 MPa? Test using a = .01.