A steel rod 2.9 m long is secured between two walls.
If the load on the rod is zero at 20°C, compute the stress when the temperature drops to -20°C. The cross-sectional area of the rod is 1600 mm², α = 11.7 µm/(m·°C), and E = 240 GPa. Solve, assuming (a) that the walls are rigid and (b) that the walls spring together a total distance of 0.500 mm as the temperature drops.