⦿ Chapter : Elasticity ⦿ Topic : What is thermal stress ?
Thermal stress is the stress produced by any change in the temperature of the material. Thermal stress is induced in a body when the temperature of the body is raised or lowered and the body is not allowed to expand or contract freely.
When the applied force is in the form of temperature the resultant stress is called Thermal stress. It is observed when an object expands or contracts due to a change in temperature. Thus, we can define Thermal stress as:
“Stress caused due to the change in temperature”
In mechanics and thermodynamics, thermal stress is mechanical stress created by any change in temperature of a material. This type of stress is highly dependent on the thermal expansion coefficient which varies from material to material. In general, the greater the temperature change, the higher the level of stress that can occur.