Analytical Solution to Temperature Variations in Highway Concrete Bridges Due to Solar Radiation

In this paper, closed-form analytical solution to temperature distribution in highway concrete bridges is presented. The temperature variations are assumed to be periodic in time and 1-dimensional through concrete slab thickness. The boundary conditions of heat conduction are expanded into Fourier series, and then analytical solution in Fourier series to the temperature field is obtained by resolving the heat conduction equation. Only a few terms of the Fourier series are required to produce results of desired accuracy due to the fast convergence of the series. The results calculated from the analytical solution are in good agreement with those from FEM analysis. The results indicate that the nonlinear temperature differentials over the cross sections in concrete bridges can be up to 25°C.