Analysis of thick beams with temperature-dependent material properties under thermomechanical loads

This study focuses on the thermoelastic behavior of simply supported thick beams with temperature-dependent material properties under thermomechanical loads. The heat conduction analysis is based on the one-dimensional Fourier's law, and the displacement and stress analysis is based on the two-dimensional thermoelasticity theory. The solution of temperature field across the thickness is obtained. By dividing the beam into a series of thin slices, the temperature and the material properties in each slice are considered to be uniform. The state space method is used to give the displacements and stresses for every slice. The transfer-matrix method is used to give the displacements and stresses for the beam. Finally, an example is conducted to analyze the temperature, displacement, and stress fields in a carbon steel beam. The example reveals that the temperature not only produces displacements and stresses itself but also affects the displacements and stresses induced by the mechanical load.