Thermal Stresses in Bodies Exhibiting Temperature-Dependent Elastic Properties

Abstract

Abstract Expressions are derived for thermal stresses and strains due to a steady-state temperature gradient in a thick-walled cylinder and a circular thin plate, made of a material having temperature-dependent elastic properties. Two numerical examples are computed for specific temperature gradients and temperature-dependent elastic properties, which yield results showing that the maximum thermal stresses are appreciably lower and the maximum thermal strains are larger than the corresponding values obtained for temperature-independent properties. The validity of the thermal plane-stress assumptions is investigated and it is shown that such solutions, regardless of whether the material properties are temperature-dependent or constant, are only approximations. The smaller the temperature gradient the more closely are the plane-stress assumptions satisfied.