thermal strain

Thermal strain refers to the deformation of a material caused by a change in temperature. In isotropic materials, this strain is equal in all directions and does not involve shear. The magnitude of thermal strain is typically linear with the temperature change and is quantified by the coefficient of thermal expansion ((\alpha)).1

This phenomenon is crucial in understanding material behavior, especially in applications involving temperature fluctuations, such as heat-treating processes. For instance, glass exhibits thermal expansion, which is critical to its performance under thermal shock. Materials with high thermal expansion coefficients are more susceptible to cracking when subjected to sudden temperature changes.23