Performing a Thermal-Stress Analysis - Lesson 6

In many engineering applications, a mechanical assembly may undergo significant temperature changes. Such changes in temperature produce thermal strains and, under certain conditions, may also generate stresses. The thermal-stress analysis is necessary to evaluate the amount of warpage caused by thermal strains and to prevent failure due to excessive stresses caused by thermal conditions. To evaluate thermal strains and stresses, we may first need to perform a thermal analysis to obtain information on the temperature distribution over the mechanical assembly. In this lesson, we will learn how to import temperature results from a thermal analysis into a structural analysis in Ansys Workbench to calculate the strains, stresses, and other results from thermal loads.

Alternate video link.

Video Highlights:

1:08 - Typical cases of thermal stress

1:43 - Thermal strain equation

2:32 - Constrained vs. unconstrained thermal expansion

5:18 - Sharing model data between thermal and structural using the same mesh

5:47 - Sharing model data between thermal and structural using dissimilar mesh

7:20 - Assigning element orientation for the body with orthotropic material properties

8:14 - Material properties required for thermal stress analysis

9:30 - Setting uniform reference temperature (environment temperature)

9:51 - Setting material-specific reference temperature

11:06 - Importing temperatures from steady-state thermal analysis

11:56 - Importing temperatures from transient thermal analysis

12:19 - Confirm thermal mapping

Simulation Files

Download the accompanying geometry and archived files here. Ansys Student can be downloaded for free here.