Impact of Short-Wave Solar Absorptivity on Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement Response

This study investigates the impact of the pavement’s short-wave solar absorptivity (SA) on the temperature profile and subsequent thermal-stress distribution through rigid pavement slabs. A one-dimensional heat transfer model is proposed to simulate the pavement temperature using a modified Blasius solution to estimate the heat convection coefficient at the pavement surface. In-service slab temperatures are used to verify the feasibility of the proposed model. It was found that an increase in SA amplifies both the magnitude and non-linearity of the temperature gradients in the slab, thus raising the linear bending stress and self-equilibrating stresses through the slab. Concrete surface materials must be properly characterized in order to accurately assess the thermal-induced stress development in concrete pavement structures and to better estimate the longevity of its service life.