SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL

ENGINEERING

CEE 3211– MECHANICS OF MATERIALS

LECTURE 2 – THERMAL STRESS/STRAIN

Twin Towers – New York 11 Sept 2001
GRENFELL TOWER FIRE – LONDON 2017
BEHAVIOUR OF CONCRETE AT ELEVATED
TEMPERATURES

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 Thermal Strain
• Most engineering materials, (when unrestrained) expand when
heated and contract when cooled.
• The thermal strain caused by a one-degree (1°) change in
temperature is designated by the Greek letter α (alpha) and is
known as the coefficient of thermal expansion.
• The strain due to a temperature change of ΔT is

𝜀𝑇 = 𝛼∆𝑇

• The coefficient of thermal expansion is approximately constant

over a considerable range of temperatures.
• Generally, the coefficient increases with an increase in
temperature 1-6
 Thermal Strain
• For an isotropic material, the coefficient applies to all
dimensions (all directions)

• An element could be subjected to both thermal and normal

stresses; in this case the strain caused by the two loading are
calculated independently. Thus total strain becomes

𝜀total = 𝜀𝜎 + 𝜀𝑇

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 Thermal Effects on Axial Deformation

Temperature changes can cause deformation in an element.

An axial member with a length L, the deformation resulting from a

temperature change is

𝛿𝑇 = 𝜀𝑇 𝐿 = 𝛼∆𝑇𝐿

If an axial member is allowed to elongate or contract freely,

temperature change creates no stress in a material.

However, substantial stresses can result in an axial member if

elongation or contraction is inhibited. 1-8
 Combined deformation: Force–
Temperature–Deformation Relationship
The relationship between internal force and axial deformation
developed earlier can be enhanced to include the effects of
temperature change:

𝑃𝐿
𝛿= + 𝛼∆𝑇𝐿
𝐴𝐸

The deformation of a statically determinate axial member can be

computed from Eqn above since the member is free to elongate or
contract in response to a change in temperature.

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 Example 1
A steel bridge beam has a total length of 150 m. Over the course of
a year, the bridge is subjected to temperatures ranging from −40°C
to +40°C, and the associated temperature changes cause the beam
to expand and contract. Expansion joints between the bridge beam
and the supports at the ends of the bridge (called abutments)are
installed to allow this change in length to take place without
restraint. Determine the change in length that must be
accommodated by the expansion joints. Assume that the coefficient
of thermal expansion for steel is 11.9 × 10−6/°C

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 Example 1
SOLUTION

Using the Equation;

𝜀𝑇 = 𝛼∆𝑇
First, find the change in temperature;

∆𝑇 = 40°C − (−40°C) = 80°C

𝜀𝑇 = 11.9 × 10−6 10 / 𝐶) × (80 °𝐶)

= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟗𝟓𝟐 𝐦/𝐦

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 Example 1
SOLUTION

The deformation is:

𝛿𝑇 = 𝜀𝐿

𝐦
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟗𝟓𝟐 × (150 m)
𝐦

= 𝟎. 𝟏𝟒𝟐𝟖 𝐦 = 142.8 mm

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 Example 2

A hot-rolled steel bar is held between two rigid

supports. The bar is stress free at a temperature of
25°C. The bar is then heated uniformly. If the
yield strength of the steel is 414 MPa, determine
the temperature at which yield first occurs. Take E
= 207 GPa; and a = 11.3×10–6/°C
 Solution
Force-Temperature-Deformation Relationship
The relationship between internal force, temperature change, and deformation of an
axial member is:

FL
= + a T L
AE

Since the bar is attached to rigid supports,  = 0.

FL
+ a T L = 0
AE

which can also be expressed in terms of the bar normal stress:

 L
 + a T L = 0
E

Temperature at which yield first occurs: Divide this expression by L and solve
for T corresponding to a 414 MPa yield stress in the steel bar. Note that we are
considering a compressive stress because we are told that the bar will be heated.


T = −
aE
−414 MPa
=− = 176.99C
(11.3  10 −6
/ C )( 207,000 MPa )

Initially, the bar is at a temperature of 25°C. Therefore, the temperature at which yield
first occurs is:

Tfinal = Tinitial + T = 25C + 176.99C = 202C

 Example 3
An aluminum rod (1) [E = 70 GPa; α = 22.5 x 10-6/°C] and a brass rod
(2) [E =105 GPa; α = 18.0 x 10-6/°C] are connected to rigid supports,
as shown. The cross-sectional areas of rods (1) and (2) are 2,000 mm2
and 3,000 mm2, respectively. The temperature of the structure will
increase.
(a) Determine the temperature increase that will close the initial 1 mm
gap between the two axial members.

(b) Compute the normal stress in each rod if the total temperature
increase is 60°C.

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Example 3

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 Example 3

Consider a free-body diagram (FBD) of joint B after the aluminum and brass rods have
come into contact. The sum of forces in the horizontal direction consists exclusively of
the internal member forces.

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 Example 3

Step 1 — Equilibrium Equations:

Consider a free-body diagram (FBD) of joint B after the aluminum and brass rods have
come into contact. The sum of forces in the horizontal direction consists exclusively of
the internal member forces.

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 Example 3

Step 2 — Geometry of Deformation

Since the compound axial member is attached to rigid supports at A and C, the overall
elongation of the structure can be no more than 1 mm. In other words,

𝛿1 + 𝛿2 = 1 mm (a)

Step 3 — Force–Temperature–Deformation Relationships

𝑃1 𝐿1 𝑃2 𝐿2
𝛿1 = + 𝛼1 ∆𝑇𝐿1 & 𝛿2 = + 𝛼2 ∆𝑇𝐿2 (b)
𝐴1 𝐸1 𝐴2 𝐸2
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 Example 3
Step 4 — compatibility Equation:
Substitute Equations (b) into Equation (a) to obtain the compatibility equation

𝑃1 𝐿1 𝑃2 𝐿2
+ 𝛼1 ∆𝑇𝐿1 + 𝐴2 𝐸2
+ 𝛼2 ∆𝑇𝐿2 = 1 mm (c)
𝐴1 𝐸1

Step 5 — Solve the Equations:

Substitute P2 = P1 (from the equilibrium equation)

into Equation (c), and solve for the internal force P1:
𝐿1 𝐿2 (d)
𝑃1 + = 1 𝑚𝑚 − 𝛼1 ∆𝑇𝐿1 − 𝛼2 ∆𝑇𝐿2
𝐴1 𝐸1 𝐴2 𝐸2
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 Example 3
900 mm 600 mm
𝑃1 ቈ +
2000 mm2 × 70000 N/mm2 3000 mm2 × 1050000 N/mm2
10−6 10−6
= 1mm − 22.5 × 60°C 900 mm − (18 × )(60℃)(600 mm)቉
°C ℃

(e)
𝑃1 = −103,350 𝑁 = -103.6 kN

The normal stress in rod (1)

𝑃1 −103,560
𝜎1 = = = −51.8 MPa (Compression)
𝐴1 2,000
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 Example 3

The normal stress in rod (2)

𝑃2 −103,560
𝜎2 = = = −34.5 MPa (Compression)
𝐴2 3,000

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