How to use the thermal stress calculator
Find the stress built up in a constrained material when its temperature changes. Enter elastic modulus, thermal expansion coefficient, temperature change in the fields above; the thermal stress are computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Common searches this calculator answers include “thermal stress”, “constrained rod heating”, “expansion stress”, “calculate thermal stress”, “find thermal stress”.
Formula
Variables
- E — Elastic modulus (GPa)
- al — Thermal expansion coefficient (1/K)
- dT — Temperature change (K)
Worked example
With elastic modulus = 200 GPa, thermal expansion coefficient = 0.000012 1/K, temperature change = 50 K, the calculator gives thermal stress ≈ 120 MPa; thermal stress ≈ 120,000 kPa.
Frequently asked questions
What is the thermal stress calculator used for?
Find the stress built up in a constrained material when its temperature changes. It helps with questions such as “thermal stress”, “constrained rod heating”, “expansion stress”.
What is the formula for the thermal stress calculation?
Thermal stress (MPa) = E × 1000 × al × dT. Thermal stress (kPa) = [Thermal stress] × 1000. Here E is elastic modulus (GPa), al is thermal expansion coefficient (1/K), dT is temperature change (K).
What inputs do I need for the thermal stress calculator?
You need elastic modulus in GPa, thermal expansion coefficient in 1/K, temperature change in K. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use the thermal stress calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the thermal stress result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.