Preventing Buckling in Concrete Highways: Expansion Cracks Calculation
Calculation of Minimum Gap Width
Length of the concrete highway, l = 12 m
Coefficient of thermal expansion, α = 12 x 10-6 °C-1
Range of temperature variation, ΔT = 80°C
Now, let's calculate the thermal expansion:
Δl = l x α x ΔT
Δl = 12 x (12 x 10-6) x 80
Δl = 1.152 x 10-2 m
Since each slab of the highway expands by the above length, the minimum gap between the slabs to prevent buckling:
Δx = 2 x Δl
Δx = 2 x (1.152 x 10-2)
Δx = 2.304 x 10-2 m = 2.304 cm
Therefore, the minimum gap width between slabs in a concrete highway should be 2.304 cm to prevent buckling.