Transient Solution of a One-Dimensional Thermoelastic Wave Propagation Problem

A step excitation in temperature is applied to the boundary of an elastic, heat-conducting material filling the half-space x ≥ 0. Large time asymptotic solutions are found for the predominantly mechanical mode of behaviour of the coupled equations of thermoelasticity. For a typical material, say aluminium, the asymptotic expressions are relevant 10−8 seconds after excitation of the material.