Stainless　steel　has　been　used　in　construction　industry　for　some　years　as　minor　components,　such　as　fixings,　fasteners,　and　cladding.　In　recent　times,　the　whole-life　cost　for　a　structure　has　become　an　important　concern　for　developers,　contractors,　architects,　engineers　and　property　owners.　Although　the　initial　high　cost　has　greatly　limited　the　structural　use　of　stainless　steel,　it　is　believed　that　this　steel　material　will　be　increasingly　used　in　civil　engineering　and　construction,　owing　to　the　benefits　of　stainless　steel.　This　has　been　recently　witnessed　in　a　lot　of　projects　around　the　world.　In　order　to　better　design　a　structure,　it　is　critical　to　understand　the　behaviour　of　its　members　and　materials　under　extreme　conditions.　In　the　past,　a　lot　of　investigations　have　been　conducted　on　the　dynamic　behaviour　of　conventional　carbon　steel,　whilst　only　a　few　study　has　been　dedicated　to　that　of　stainless　steel.　Based　on　this　research　background,　stainless　steel　coupon　tests　were　conducted　recently　using　a　tension　split　Hopkinson　bar　by　the　authors.　At　the　same　time,　carbon　steel　material　was　also　tested　for　comparison.　These　coupons　were　tested　under　different　strain　rates　ranged　from　300　s-1　to　1000　s-1.　It　was　found　that　the　dynamic　behaviour　of　stainless　steel　was　different　from　the　of　carbon　steel.　Generally,　higher　strain　rate　sensitivity　is　expected　for　the　stainless　steel　material.