What type of stress is created on a pipe when the temperature rises?

When the temperature of a pipe rises, it undergoes thermal expansion. This increase in temperature causes the pipe material to expand. If the pipe is fixed or restrained at certain points, the expansion cannot take place freely leading to the development of compressive stress within the pipe material.

In a restrained system, as the temperature increases, the material attempts to expand, but if it is unable to do so due to constraints or connections to other elements, it pushes against those restrictions. This internal conflict results in compressive stress.

Tensile stress, on the other hand, occurs when a material is being pulled apart. In the case of thermal expansion in confined conditions, it is primarily the compressive stress that is of concern, not tensile stress. Similarly, the situation does not create both types of stress simultaneously in a typical scenario where thermal expansion is unrestrained.

Understanding this concept is vital in plumbing design and installation, as it helps in properly addressing how pipes can withstand temperature fluctuations without causing damage or failure in the system.