THERMAL STRAIN AND EXPANSION COEFFICIENT OF PbSb ALLOY UNDER STATIC AND DYNAMIC LOADING

Thermal mechanical behavior of PbSb alloy subjected to static and dynamic loading in the temperature range 30-200 C and different loading schemes has been investigated. The take up strain is Hookian up to 100 C and transfer to creep behavior for higher temperatures (<100-200 C) and loads as penetration of the applied load through the alloy sample prevails due to the transformance of some solidous phase to liquidous phase near the eutectic temperature. The strain rate sensitivity factor "m"-value serves to monitor the thermal strain and its effect on the overall strain thermal and mechanical. Thermal expansion coefficient is found to remain nearly unchanged up to certain temperature regardless of the applied stress. This may partly due to the compensation between extension and penetration such that the net change becomes insignificant. It is suggested that the dimensional stability is largely affected by excessive loading stress rather than by environmental temperature.