Enter the Young’s Modulus, temperature expansion coefficient, change in temperature, and the cross-sectional area into the calculator to determine the thermal expansion force on a restricted pipe.

Thermal Expansion Force Formula

The following equation is used to calculate the Thermal Expansion Force.

F = E * a * T * A

  • Where F is the force (lbf)
  • E is the Young’s modulus of the material (PSI)
  • a is the thermal expansion coefficient (in/in * F)
  • T is the change in temperature (F)
  • A is the cross-sectional area (in^2)

What is a Thermal Expansion Force?

Definition:

A thermal expansion force measures the total force acting on an object in a constricted space due to a temperature change, causing an expansion of the object.

How to Calculate Thermal Expansion Force?

Example Problem:

The following example outlines the steps and information needed to calculate the Thermal Expansion Force.

First, determine the Young’s modulus of the material . In this example, this is found to be 6000 PSI.

Next, determine the thermal expansion coefficient. For this problem, this is found to be 4 in/in*F.

Next, determine the change in temperature. In this case, the change in temperature is measured to be 8 F.

Next, determine the cross-sectional area. This cross-sectional area is 11 in^2.

Finally, calculate the thermal expansion force using the formula above:

F = E * a * T * A

F = 6000*4*8*11

F = 2,112,000 lbf