Why is thermal expansion an important consideration for engineering?

Thermal expansion is where materials expand while being heated, causing them to take up more space. Some materials expand more than others. But this all happens due to the motion of tiny little molecules. Temperature is the average kinetic energy of the molecules in a substance.

Thermal expansion is an important consideration for engineering because different materials exhibit changes in size when exposed to heat. Thus, affecting length, width, surface area, volume, shape etc

Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change its shape, area, and volume in response to a change in temperature.

Application of thermal expansion in engineering:

• In construction of bridges:

These gaps in the bridges are known as expansion joints. Expansion joints are basically gaps in the bridge that allow the bridge to expand and contract. Without these gaps, the bridge may fall apart. These components expand with higher temperature and contract at lower temperatures.

• in installation of sagging of electrical wires.

Because of this phenomena the wire undergoes expansion and contraction every single day, thus if the wires were tightly held in the long run the wires might get snapped because of the contraction it faces.

The lines are often heavily loaded because of increased power consumption, and the conductors, which are generally made of copper or aluminum, expand when heated. That expansion increases the slack between transmission line structures, causing them to sag.