Concrete Highway Construction: Thermal Expansion Dilemma

How wide should the slabs be at temperatures ranging from -30c to 50c?

Given that a concrete highway is built of slabs 12m long, what is the ideal width for the slabs to account for thermal expansion?

Answer:

The width of the concrete slabs would depend on the thermal expansion coefficient of the concrete used. Without this information, it is difficult to determine the exact width the slabs should be at different temperatures.

To address the issue of thermal expansion in concrete highway construction, it is crucial to consider the thermal expansion coefficient of the specific concrete material being used. The coefficient of thermal expansion indicates how much a material expands or contracts with changes in temperature.

When the temperature drops (e.g., -30°C), the concrete slabs would contract, while they would expand when the temperature rises (e.g., 50°C). To accommodate these changes in size without causing damage to the road, engineers typically incorporate expansion joints in the construction of highways.

These expansion joints allow the concrete slabs to move and adjust their position without affecting the overall integrity of the highway. Therefore, the width of the slabs at different temperatures would need to consider the thermal properties of the concrete and the design of the expansion joints to ensure a durable and safe road surface.