What is thermal stress?

- July 31, 2020 at 4:21 pm
  
  Samir Kadam
  Ansys Employee
  
  What is thermal stress?
- July 31, 2020 at 4:21 pm
  
  Ashish Khemka
  Forum Moderator
  
  Thermal stress is caused by the temperature change of an object. A material can expand or contract under different thermal conditions. The proportion of this depends on the thermal expansion coefficient, and when a material is constrained and cannot deform freely, it will generate strain and stress due to thermal loading.
- July 31, 2020 at 4:22 pm
  
  Samir Kadam
  Ansys Employee
  
  How is it different from the structural stress?
- July 31, 2020 at 4:22 pm
  
  prajput
  Ansys Employee
  
  Hey,
  The thermal stress is caused by thermal gradients, thermal expansion/contraction or thermal shocks. Whereas the structural stress is developed in material due to structural loading, pressure, applied forces, etc.