Thermal

Stress
&
Strain
 Chapter-02 Thermal Stress & Strain

Introduction
Whenever there is some increase or decrease in the
temperature of a body, it causes the body to expand or contract.
A litle consideraton will show that if the body is allowed to
expand or contract freely, with the rise or fall of the temperature,
no stresses are induced in the body. But if the deformaton of the
body is prevented, some stresses are induced in the body. Such
stresses are called thermal stresses or temperature stresses. The
corresponding strain are called thermal strains or temperature
strains.
 Chapter-02 Thermal Stress & Strain
Thermal Stresses in Simple Bars
The thermal stresses or strains, in a simple bar, may be
found out as discussed below

1. Calculate amount of deformaton due to change of temperature

with the assumpton that bar is free to expand or contract
2. Calculate the load (or force) required to bring the deformed bar
to the original length.
3. Calculate the stress and strain in the bar caused by this load.

The thermal stresses or strains may also be found out frst by

fnding out amount of deformaton due to change in temperature,
and then by fnding out the thermal strain due to the deformaton.
The thermal stress may now be found out from the thermal strain
as usual. Now consider a body subjected to an increase in
temperature.
 Chapter-02 Thermal Stress & Strain
Thermal Stresses in Simple Bars
Let L = Original length of the body,
t = Increase of temperature and
 = Coefcient of linear expansion.
We know that the increase in length due to increase of temperature.
L = L x  x t
If the ends of the bar are fxed to rigid supports, so that its expansion is
prevented, then compressive strain induced in the bar.
δL L x α x t
ε  α x t
L L
Now we know that
Stress 
E 
Strain 
 Stress =  = E x  = E x  x t =Exxt
 Chapter-02 Thermal Stress & Strain
Thermal Stresses in Simple Bars

If the support yield by an amount of , then the actual expansion

that has been taken place
L = L x  x t - 
δL L x α x t -   
& Strain ε    αxt-
L L  L 
 Δ
 Stress σ E x ε E x α x t 
 L 

Let t = Temperature in degree Celsius

Kelvin = 273.15 + t

Fahrenheit = 1.8 x t + 32
 Chapter-02 Thermal Stress & Strain
Thermal stress in composite bar

Steel
a] Original Bar
Brass
L.B.t
L L.S.t

b] Free Expansion Steel

of Each Bar Brass
Forced Extension Forced Contracton
of Steel
c] Expanded Steel of Brass
Positon of
Brass
Composite bar
 Chapter-02 Thermal Stress & Strain
Thermal stress in composite bar
Now consider a composite bar consistng of two members, a bar of steel
and another of brass as shown Fig. a]
Let the bar be heated through some temperature. If the component
members of the bar(i.e., Steel and brass) could have been free to
expand, then no internal stresses would have induced. But, since the
two members are rigidly fxed, therefore the composite bar, as a whole,
will expand by the same amount. We know that the brass expands more
than the steel because the coefcient of liner expansion of the brass is
greater than that of the steel. Therefore the free expansion of the brass
will be more than of the steel.

The diference of free expansion lengths or so called free lengths

= B.L. t - s .L .t
= ( B - s ).L .t
 Chapter-02 Thermal Stress & Strain
If the two materials are now rigidly joined as a compound bar and
subjected to the same temp. rise, each materials will atempt to expand
to its free length positon but each will be afected by the movement of
the other. The higher coefcient of expansion material (brass) will
therefore, seek to pull the steel up to its free length positon and
conversely, the lower coefcient of expansion martal (steel) will try to
hold the brass back. In practce a compromised is reached, the
compound bar extending to the positon shown in fg (c), resultng in an
efectve compression of the brass from its free length positon and an
efectve extension of steel from its free length positon.

Therefore, from the diagrams, we may conclude the following

Conclusion 1.
Forced Compression Brass + Forced Extension of Steel = diference in “ free” length
σB x L σ S x L σB σ S
  [αB  α S ] x L x t   [αB  α S ] x t
EB ES EB ES
 Chapter-02 Thermal Stress & Strain
Conclusion 2.
The tensile force applied to the Steel member by the Brass member is
equal in magnitude to the compressive force applied to Brass member
by the Steel member.

Thus in this case

Tensile force in steel = compressive force in brass

S x AS = B x AB