Question

Consider steel for which Young's modulus, E = 210 GPa, and the coefficient of thermal expansion, α = 12 x 10-6 /°C.

a) A steel bridge of length L = 1500 m experiences temperature excursions of 90°C during the year. Suppose there is no horizontal constraint at the end supports. What is the change in length? What is the thermal stress? What are the practical implications of horizontal constraints for an actual bridge structure?

b) A steel bar is rigidly constrained at its ends in the horizontal direction by massive blocks of hard rock. For a bar of length L = 1 m, determine the thermal stress in the horizontal direction induced by a temperature increase of 90 °C. Determine the thermal strain. What would happen if the bar were 1500 m long rather than 1 m?

Answer 1

answered by: anonymous