Chapter 7

2D Theory of Thermoelasticity

7.1 Thermoelastic effect in a 2D bending beam

Let us consider a beam of unitary width in the x,y plane subjected to a variation of the temperature
T +T T −T
ΔT ( y ) = 1 2 + 1 2 y uniform in the x direction, with T (h / 2) = T2 , T (−h / 2) = T1 .
2 h

Figure 7.1: Thermoelastic effect in a 2D beam.

The corresponding thermal strain will be

𝑇' + 𝑇) Δ𝑇
𝜀 " = 𝛼𝑇 𝑦 = 𝛼 + 𝑦 (7.1)
2 ℎ
with
Δ𝑇 = 𝑇) − 𝑇' (7.2)
The case can be studied by separately consider the uniform strain along y (that has been already
considered in the analysis of the bar) and the linear symmetric variation along y. Let us now
briefly recall some elements of the 2D beam theory.
DISPLACEMENT FIELD ASSUMPTIONS

y,v dw0
ϑ ϑ ϑ=
dx

z x,u

Figure 7.2: The rotation field in a 2D beam.

u ( x , y ) = u0 ( x ) − ϑ ( x ) y
v( x, y ) = v0 ( x) (7.3)

STRAIN DISPLACEMENT RELATIONS

𝜕𝑢 𝑥, 𝑦 𝜕𝑢3 𝑥 𝜕𝜗 𝑥
𝜀. 𝑥, 𝑦 = = − 𝑦       ⟹    𝜀. 𝑥, 𝑦 = 𝜀3 𝑥 − 𝜒
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥
𝜕𝑣 𝑥, 𝑦
𝜀8 𝑥, 𝑦 = =0 (7.4)
𝜕𝑦
𝜕𝑢 𝑥, 𝑦 𝜕𝑣 𝑥, 𝑦 𝜕𝑣3 𝑥
𝛾.8 𝑥, 𝑦 = + = −𝜗 𝑥 + = −𝜗 𝑥 + 𝜗 𝑥 = 0
𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥
with
𝜕 ) 𝑣3 𝑥
𝜒=                                Curvature
𝜕𝑥 )
𝜕𝑢3 𝑥
𝜀3 𝑥, 𝑦 =            Axial  Strain
𝜕𝑥

EQUILIBRIUM EQUATIONS (bending equations only)

Figure 7.3: Forces and moments acting on an dx element of a 2D beam.

 𝑑𝑀 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 ) 𝑑𝑇 𝑥
𝑀 𝑥 − 𝑀 𝑥 + 𝑑𝑥 − 𝑝 𝑥 − 𝑇 𝑥 + 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = 0       ⟹
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑑𝑥
(7.5)
𝑑𝑀 𝑥
             ⟹      𝑇 𝑥 =
𝑑𝑥
𝑑𝑇 𝑥
−𝑇 𝑥 + 𝑇 𝑥 + 𝑑𝑥 + 𝑝 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = 0       ⟹
𝑑𝑥
(7.6)
𝑑𝑇 𝑥
             ⟹       = −𝑝 𝑥
𝑑𝑥
from 2D continua:
h
M ( x) = − ∫ 2h σ x ( x) ⋅ y ⋅ dy (7.7)
−
2

CONSTITUTIVE EQUATIONS

From 2D continua
𝜎. = 𝐸 𝜀. − 𝛼𝑇 (7.8)
(notice that T expresses a variation of the temperature)
h h
M ( x) = − ∫ 2h Eε x ydy + ∫ 2h EαTydy (7.9)
− −
2 2

and by substituting the strain-displacement equations:

N N N
) ) 𝑇' + 𝑇) ) Δ𝑇 )
𝑀 𝑥 =− 𝐸𝜀3 𝑥 𝑦 − 𝐸𝜒𝑦 ) 𝑑𝑦 + 𝐸𝛼 𝑦𝑑𝑦 + 𝐸𝛼 𝑦 𝑑𝑦
O
N
O
N 2 O
N ℎ
) ) )
N N (7.10)
) Δ𝑇 ) Δ𝑇
= 𝐸𝜒 𝑦 ) 𝑑𝑦 + 𝐸𝛼 𝑦 ) 𝑑𝑦𝜎. = 𝐸𝐼 𝜒 + 𝛼
O
N ℎ O
N ℎ
) )

In case p(x)=const=0 and T(0)=T(l)=0 also T(x)=0 and M(x)=0. In this case (thermal action only
acting on the beam) we will have

⎛ ΔT ⎞ ΔT
EI ⎜ χ + α ⎟ = 0 ⇒ χ = −α (7.11)
⎝ h ⎠ h

that in fact, corresponded to a curvature like in figure, where the top fibers of the beam elongate
more due to the higher temperature.
y,v

z x,u

R
Figure 7.4: The deformed 2D beam.