Engineering ToolBox - Resources, Tools and Basic Information for Engineering and Design of Technical Applications!

Linear Thermal Expansion

Online linear temperature expansion calculator.

Sponsored Links

When an object is heated or cooled, its length changes by an amount proportional to the original length and the change in temperature. The linear thermal expansion - the change in length - of an object can be expressed as

dl = L 0 α (t 1 - t 0 )                                (1)

where

dl = change in object length (m, inches)

L 0 = initial length of object (m, inches)

α = linear expansion coefficient (m/m oC, in/in o F)

t 0 = initial temperature ( oC, o F)

t 1 = final temperature ( oC, o F)

The final length of the object can be calculated as

L 1 = L 0 + dl

= L 0 + L 0 α (t 1 - t 0 )                                (2)

where

L 1 = final length of object (m, inches)

Note! - linear expansion coefficients for most materials varies with temperature .

Example - Expansion of Copper, Carbon and Stainless Steel Pipes

For wider temperature ranges - calculate for smaller spans and integrate the results.

Online Thermal Linear Expansion Calculator

Linear Temperature Coefficients - α - for some common metals

Example - Expansion of an Aluminum Beam

Aluminum beam - thermal expansion

An aluminum construction is designed for temperatures ranging -30 oC to 50 oC . If a beam's length is 6 m when assembled at 20 oC - the shortest final length of the beam at minimum temperature -30 oC can be calculated as

L 1 = (6 m) + (6 m) (0.000023 m/m oC) ((-30 oC) - (20 oC))

= 5.993 m

The longest final length of the beam at maximum temperature 50 oC can be calculated as

L 1 = (6 m) + (6 m) (0.000023 m/m oC) ((50 oC) - (20 oC))

= 6.004 m

Superficial Expansion

The amount by which a unit area of a material increases when the temperature is raised by one degree is called the coefficient of superficial (area) expansion .

Cubic Expansion

The amount by which a unit volume of a material increases when the temperature is raised by one degree is called the coefficient of cubic expansion .

Sponsored Links

Related Topics

  • Temperature Expansion

    Thermal expansion and expansion coefficients. Expansion pipes and tubes made of stainless steel, carbon steel, copper, plastics and more.
  • Thermodynamics

    Work, heat and energy systems.

Related Documents

Sponsored Links

Search

Search is the most efficient way to navigate the Engineering ToolBox.

Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Extension - Online 3D modeling!

3D Engineering ToolBox Extension to SketchUp - add parametric components to your SketchUp model

Add standard and customized parametric components - like flange beams, lumbers, piping, stairs and more - to your Sketchup model with the Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Extension - enabled for use with older versions of the amazing SketchUp Make and the newer "up to date" SketchUp Pro . Add the Engineering ToolBox extension to your SketchUp Make/Pro from the Extension Warehouse !

Translate this Page

Translate this page to Your Own Language .

About the Engineering ToolBox!

Privacy Policy

We don't collect information from our users. More about

Citation

This page can be cited as

  • The Engineering ToolBox (2008). Linear Thermal Expansion. [online] Available at: https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/linear-thermal-expansion-d_1379.html [Accessed Day Month Year].

Modify the access date according your visit.

3D Engineering ToolBox - draw and model technical applications! 2D Engineering ToolBox - create and share online diagram drawing templates! Engineering ToolBox Apps - mobile online and offline engineering applications!

Unit Converter

















































3.15.9

Sponsored Links
.