Temperature Analysis of Concrete Road Expansion

Abstract

This article is dedicated to analyzing the impact of climatic conditions on the operational characteristics of concrete roads, with a focus on thermal deformations that occur during their use. Concrete roads have clear advantages in terms of durability and load capacity; however, the thermal expansion and contraction of concrete, caused by seasonal temperature fluctuations, can lead to the formation of cracks and defects that reduce the physical and mechanical properties of the road surface. The article presents a portion of a comprehensive study conducted on the "Shymkent-Turkestan" highway, where concrete samples from various locations were analyzed. The methodology included measuring the geometric dimensions, density, and thermal deformations of the samples. The average density values of the samples from the three road sections were 2.27 g/cm³, 2.35 g/cm³, and 2.42 g/cm³ for locations 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Low coefficients of variation in all three locations characterize the high quality of the concrete in terms of homogeneity and its suitability for further investigation of thermal expansion and contraction. Based on the obtained values of the thermal analysis of concrete samples from the three locations, a correlation between thermal expansion and contraction with the material density was established. The increase in thermal expansion is negligible, with an increase in density of 3.4%, the thermal expansion increases by 0.7%. With a density increase of 6.6%, the thermal expansion is 3.7%. The increase in thermal contraction with a density increase of 3.4% is 0.7%. With a density increase of 6.6%, the thermal contraction is 3.2%. The study's results will help improve the design and operation of concrete roads, taking into account the specifics of local climatic conditions.