Thermal Field Characteristics of Reinforced Concrete Box Girder during High-Temperature Asphalt Pavement Paving

Abstract

During high-temperature asphalt pavement paving, the bridge is subjected to significant temperature variations, and thereby the nonlinear thermal field distribution that occurs in the box girder might threaten the safety and serviceability of the bridge structures. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the thermal field characteristics of reinforced concrete box girder with steel fiber-reinforced concrete leveling layer during asphalt pavement paving. Firstly, a three-dimensional thermal field model of a reinforced concrete segmental box girder was developed and validated using the transient thermal field theory, and the dynamic paving process was simulated by the element deletion method. Secondly, the thermal field model was applied to analyze the vertical, transversal, and longitudinal temperature distribution during asphalt pavement paving. Thirdly, the effects of various sensitive factors on the thermal field of bridge components during asphalt pavement paving were evaluated. Finally, the extreme temperature load model was established through the statistical analysis method, in which the sensitive factors were introduced. Results demonstrate that the proposed numerical simulation method is feasible for thermal field characteristic analysis of reinforced concrete box girder during asphalt pavement paving. In addition, the research results can provide the theoretical foundation for temperature load selection and structural safety design of the concrete box girder during asphalt pavement paving.