Thermal Expansion and You - Its a Hot Topic!

What is thermal expansion?

Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change in volume in response to a change
in temperature. For many materials, this rate of change is linear. The ratio of expansion to
temperature of a material is referred to as the material's coefficient of thermal expansion. If a
materials thermal expansion coefficient is known, it becomes quite easy to predict the amount a
material will expand in response to given temperature change.

Why do we care?
Performing experiments using a Gleeble system often involves changing the temperature of a
material. If any fruitful data is to be obtained from such an experiment, it becomes necessary
to account for the thermal expansion of material. In many experiments done using a Gleeble
system, a zero force control methodology can be used in order to account for the thermal
expansion of a specimen. When performing experiments using the Hydrawedge II system,
however, this methodology cannot be used. Luckily, the HDS program template provides a
simple way in with an experimenter can account for thermal expansion. This document will
focus on the proper use of this feature.

The HDS Config tab and thermal expansion

Along with other useful features, the HDS Config tab provides input fields in which an
experimenter can define the thermal expansion coefficients for the specimen (Specimen
tempco) and the heating apparatus (Jaw tempco). Two temperature coefficient fields are
provided in order to most accurately account for the thermal expansion of the system. When
these coefficients are properly defined for a given experiment, the HDS program will adjust the
deformation parameters accurately as a function of temperature. Improper definition of these
coefficients will lead to deformation error.

Specimen tempco
Specimen tempco is the coefficient of thermal expansion of the specimen. This coefficient is
defined with units of nanometers of expansion per millimeters of material per degree celsius.

For most materials, this coefficient has an accepted experimentally determined value. For
example, the coefficient of thermal expansion for steel is 10~13nm/mm/C (depending on
carbon content). The easiest way to determine the specimen tempco for your specimen is to
look it up! These coefficients for common materials are readily available on the web, or if you
dare, in a book.

Jaw tempco
Jaw tempco is the coefficient of thermal expansion for the Gleeble system. This is defined
with units of micrometers per degree celsius. Since the volume and material composition of
the Gleeble system varies with experiment, the jaw tempco will vary with experiment. The jaw
tempco for a specific configuration can be easily and quickly determined by following a short
procedure.
1. Install a specimen in the system as if an experiment were going to be performed. Be
sure to include any lubricants that will be used during the experiment (graphite, nickel,
etc).
2. Write an HDS program to heat the sample to a some temperature a few hundred
degrees above room temperature and perform no deformation. Acquire Jaw and
temperature with this program. Since thermal expansion of these materials is linear, it is
not necessary to heat the specimen to full experimental temperature.
3. Plot jaw vs temperature and investigate the heating portion of the data. This curve
should be close to linear.

4. Record the Jaw value at some value near the maximum temperature.
Example:
0.466mm:1000C
5. Since the temperature coefficient of the specimen is known, the thermal expansion of
the specimen can be calculated and removed from this Jaw value.
Example:
Specimen tempco: 13nm/mm/C
Specimen Lo: 10mm
Specimen temp: 1000C

6. Now that the thermal expansion of the jaw has been calculated, the coefficient of thermal
expansion can be calculated by dividing the thermal expansion by the temperature at
that value.
Example:
TXjaw: 0.336mm
Temp: 1000C

Why do we need two numbers?

During multiple-deformation experiments, the dimensions of the specimen will change. Since
the thermal expansion of the material is dependant on the dimensions of the specimen, the
thermal expansion will change. The dimensions of the Gleeble system remain constant
throughout the experiment, therefore the thermal expansion remains constant. It is important to
correctly define each coefficient individually. Defining only one coefficient as a sum of the two
will lead to error.

Specimen tempco for Common Materials

Material

Specimen tempco (nm/mm/C)

carbon steel

10~13

aluminium

23

stainless steel

17

tungsten

4.5

Jaw tempco for Common Configurations

Configuration
small plane strain w/ tantalum
standard flow stress w/ tantalum
large plane strain w/ tantalum

Jaw tempco (m/C)