Author(s): Antoine Lefèvre

Abstract: Slender mechanical structures such as columns, beams, shells, and micro scale components often operate in environments where Temperature variations significantly influence material properties and structural stability. Traditional stability analyses frequently assume Temperature independent elastic parameters, which can lead to inaccurate predictions when thermal effects alter stiffness, strength, and geometric response. This research presents a comprehensive stability analysis framework for slender mechanical structures incorporating Temperature dependent material behavior. Governing equilibrium equations are formulated by coupling classical stability theory with constitutive relations that vary continuously with Temperature. Both uniform and nonuniform thermal fields are considered to reflect realistic service conditions. Analytical solutions are derived for idealized configurations to elucidate the influence of Temperature induced stiffness degradation and thermal expansion on critical buckling loads. In addition, numerical simulations using finite element-based eigenvalue analysis are employed to validate the theoretical formulations and to examine complex geometries and boundary conditions. Parametric investigations demonstrate that even moderate Temperature changes can cause substantial reductions in stability margins, particularly for high slenderness ratios and materials with strong thermo mechanical sensitivity. The results highlight nonlinear interactions between thermal loading, material softening, and geometric imperfections that cannot be captured by conventional isothermal models. The proposed approach provides improved predictive capability for assessing safety and reliability of structures operating under coupled mechanical and thermal environments. Findings from this work are relevant to applications ranging from aerospace and energy systems to precision mechanical devices, where accurate estimation of Temperature dependent stability limits is essential for design optimization, risk mitigation, and performance assurance. Moreover, the framework facilitates systematic integration of experimental data, supports sensitivity studies for material uncertainties, and enables development of thermally robust design guidelines applicable across scales, loading regimes, and operating lifetimes while enhancing confidence in predictive assessments for safety critical engineering applications under realistic thermal variability conditions worldwide implementation.

DOI: 10.22271/2707806X.2026.v7.i1a.58

Pages: 31-34 | Views: 23 | Downloads: 5

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