What is thermal stress and how is it calculated?

Thermal stress is the stress caused by temperature changes in a material. It is calculated using the coefficient of thermal expansion.

When a material is exposed to temperature changes, it expands or contracts depending on its coefficient of thermal expansion. This expansion or contraction can cause stress within the material, which is known as thermal stress. The amount of thermal stress depends on the temperature change and the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material.

The coefficient of thermal expansion is a measure of how much a material expands or contracts when its temperature changes. It is usually expressed in terms of a fractional change in length or volume per degree Celsius. The coefficient of thermal expansion can be measured experimentally or obtained from reference tables.

To calculate thermal stress, the change in temperature and the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material must be known. The formula for calculating thermal stress is:

Thermal stress = Coefficient of thermal expansion x Change in temperature x Young's modulus

Young's modulus is a measure of a material's stiffness or elasticity. It is a constant that relates the stress applied to a material to the resulting strain. The units of thermal stress are typically N/m² (newtons per square metre) or Pa (pascals).

In summary, thermal stress is the stress caused by temperature changes in a material, and it is calculated using the coefficient of thermal expansion, change in temperature, and Young's modulus.