Thermal stress is an important area of study in mathematics, particularly in the field of mathematical modeling of materials and structures. However, I am not aware of any specific "current trends" in this area as it is a well-established field with a broad range of ongoing research. Some of the areas of ongoing research in thermal stresses include:
Modeling of thermal stresses in composite materials and laminates.
Development of new analytical and numerical methods for analyzing thermal stresses in complex structures.
Investigation of the effects of temperature on the mechanical behavior of materials, including the phenomenon of thermal expansion and contraction.
Study of the impact of thermal stresses on the fatigue and fracture behavior of materials.
Development of novel materials with tailored thermal properties to minimize thermal stress effects.
Overall, thermal stress is a broad and important area of study in the field of materials science and engineering, and there is ongoing research aimed at better understanding the underlying mechanisms and developing new approaches to mitigate or exploit thermal stress effects.