Publications Details

Thermal strains in a bimaterial joint: Experimental and numerical analysis

Wood, J.D.; Tsai, M.Y.; Post, D.; Morton, J.; Parks, V.J.; Gerstle Jr., F.P.

A comprehensive stress analysis was performed for a bimaterial plate subjected to a uniform change of temperature. The steel and brass portions of the specimen were bonded along a common edge. Whole-field measurements were made by high-sensitivity moire interferometry. A companion finite element numerical analysis of a similar body was conducted to help interpret the experimental results. The experiments documented a strong free-edge effect along the entire perimeter of the joint, an effect akin to a line singularity along the perimeter. High stresses in the edge-effected zone were determined from measurements, and enormous stress gradients were deduced by analysis. The largest stresses were found at the corner, where two edge-effected zones intersected. 5 refs., 8 figs.