Thermocouple Applications in Pavement

Systems

Jake Hiller
Graduate Research Assistant

Presentation for CEE 398 KUC – Experiments in Structures and Materials

March 6, 2002
Outline of Presentation

 Background on Thermocouples
 Rigid Pavement Applications
 Flexible Pavement Applications
 Summary
Background on Thermocouples

 Two conductor cables

 Composed of metal alloys
 Ends of wires are soldered to form a couple
 Resistance of couple changes with temperature
 Seebeck Effect – 1822
 Resistance is then correlated with temperature
 Standardized correlations
 Correlations can change over time (deformation,
corrosion)
Seebeck Effect

 Discovered by Thomas Seebeck, 1822

 Electrons flow from one wire to other
 Due to different energy potentials of alloys
 As temperature changes, current flows

 Voltage is measured between the two alloys

 Small voltage (less than 10 mV)
Many types of Thermocouples

 Type K – cheap, general purpose

 Positive 90% Ni, 10% Cr Negative 95% Ni…Al, Mn, Si
 Type T – Good accuracy in pav’t temp range
 Positive 100% Cu Negative 55% Cu, 45% Ni (constantan)
 Low corrosion potential
 Type J
 Positive 100% Fe Negative 55% Cu, 45% Ni (constantan)
 Type N
 Positive 85% Ni…Cr, Si Negative 96% Ni… Si, etc.
Temperature Limitations
Thermocouples Options

 Insulation/sheathing to protect from outside factors

 Gage of wire is related to performance
 Pre-assembled with connectors to fit thermometer
 Multiple TC’s pre-assembled

 Unassembled wire
 Color code by type
 Differs between some countries
Problems with Thermocouples

 Accuracy
 Often between 0.5 and 2.2ºC, depending on TC type
 Noise
 Long leads can attract electrical signals
 Already low signal from thermocouple
 Thermal shunting
 Heating of wire mass can affect measurements by
absorbing energy
 Corrosion
 High alkali or water environments can modify calibration
Rigid Pavement Applications

 Three types of thermal movements in rigid pav’ts

 Curling Upward curling: Downward curling:
Top contracts Bottom contracts
 Thermal gradient in slab relative to bottom relative to top

 Expansion/Contraction L L
 Uniform temperature change

 Soil frost heave

 Lifting of slab due to increasing volume of underlying layers
Calibration/Instrumentation of Thermocouples

 Typically tested in hot and cold

baths
 Confirmation and sway in readings
 Placed in two ways
 Set at different depths along
wooden dowel or bracket
 Placed in by hand as paving is
occurring (less reliable)
 Minimum of 0.5” of cover needed
 Rigid Pavement Testing

 Used in conjunction with

other sensors to evaluate
pavement performance
 Include vibrating wire,
moisture resistance sensors,
psychrometers, etc.
 Typically placed at either
corner, edge, or middle of
slabs
Flexible Pavement Applications

 Determination of Viscoelastic Properties

 Rutting potential increases with temperature
 Lower modulus - Higher deflections
 Thermal Cracking
 Low temperatures – thermal stresses increase
 Stress can surpass tensile strength of material
 Fatigue of material can also occur
 Soil frost heave
Flexible Pavement Applications

 TC’s placed near: pressure cells, strain gages, or

FWD test locations to correlate with temperature
Summary

 TC’s based on energy potential differences of alloys

 Each TC type has distinct advantages
 Type T and K most used in pav’t field testing
 Accuracy is sometimes questionable
 Corrosion can be a potential problem
 Used in rigid pav’t to assess curling and expansion
 Installed before paving typically
 Used in flexible pav’t to determine seasonal
variability and frost action