Modelling Temperature Differentials in Concrete (Rigid) Pavements

Project Overview

Temperature differentials in concrete pavement slabs are essential for estimating the curling stresses, which form a significant component of the total flexural stress in a concrete pavement. The magnitude of curling stresses is directly proportional to the temperature difference between the top and bottom of a pavement slab, which is called as the temperature differential in this study.

The objectives of this study are:

1) To develop a heat transfer model for predicting the temperature differentials in concrete pavements

2) To estimate (i) the values and (ii) the timestamp of occurence of - maximum positive temperature differential (MPTD) and maximum negative temperature differential (MNTD) for gridded stations of India

Finite Element based Heat Transfer Model for Concrete Pavement

One-dimensional heat transfer through various layers of a concrete pavement is modelled using a one-dimensional Fourier Biot Heat transfer model. The model was solved using the finite element method (Galerkin method with weak form).

Animation showing the variation in Temperature Profiles

The model boundary conditions were temporally varied by calculating the heat flux and temperature values using real-time weather data, comprising of solar radiation, air temperature, wind speed and soil temperature. The variation in pavement temperature as a result of the varying model boundary conditions are shown in the animation below.

Pavement analysis.mp4

Model Validation

For validation of the model, experimental results from published literature were taken. The boundary conditions specified in the published work were simulated in the model, and the resultant temperature profiles (continuous lines) are superimposed over the experimental results (scatter of points). The model was found to predict the experimental results reasonably well.

Using the reanalysis weather data for 20168 stations within India, the heat transfer model was solved to evaluate the temperature profile across a typical pavement. The difference in temperature between the top and bottom of the Pavement Quality Concrete (PQC) layer, also called the temperature differential, is recorded for all the stations. The temperature differential is plotted using different colors with respect to the latitude and longitude coordinates of each station to obtain the temperature differential map. The time of the year when these maximum and minimum temperature differentials are observed is also plotted. These maps are useful in the design of rigid/concrete pavements.

Refer the following article for more details

Padala, S. K., Swamy, A.K., Bhattacharjee, B. (2023). Development of temperature differential maps for rigid pavements in tropical Climates for quick estimation of thermal stresses. International Journal of Pavement Engineering (Taylor & Francis). 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/10298436.2023.2246627

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