Introduction. In regions with sharp temperature fluctuations during their seasonal and daily changes, the phenomenon of local defects and cracks forming in the asphalt concrete pavements of roads and bridges is very often observed. This is largely due to the heterogeneity of the thermomechanical properties of the materials in the pavement layers and base. To prevent these phenomena, reinforcing rods and grids are introduced into the pavement structure.
Problems. The problem addressed in the conducted research is to establish the patterns of thermomechanical deformation of composite materials (specifically, asphalt concrete) reinforced with steel rods under the influence of variable temperature fields.
Purpose. The objective of this work is to derive mathematical relationships that define the internal structural thermal stresses in composites, caused by variable temperature fields and material heterogeneity.
Materials and methods. Based on the theory of thermoelasticity, the problem of a plane thermodeformed state of an elastic medium containing a circular elastic rod with different thermomechanical parameters was formulated. For the case of a constant change in the system’s temperature, an analytical solution to the equations was constructed, and expressions for thermal deformations and thermal stresses were obtained.
The results. Using the example of asphalt concrete material reinforced with fiberglass rods, analytical expressions for the values of additional contact thermal stresses were constructed, and the conditions for the thermomechanical incompatibility of asphalt concrete and reinforcement materials were formulated.
Conclusions. Using the methods of thermoelasticity theory, it was shown that in cases of incompatibility of the thermomechanical characteristics of asphalt concrete and reinforcement materials, additional localized thermal stresses arise in their immediate vicinity. These stresses, even at moderate temperature changes, can reach critical values and lead to local defects and cracks. Since these defects are hidden, they cannot always be detected in practice.
