Research Information System
3rd International Civil Engineering and Architecture Congress (ICEARC’23), Trabzon, Turkey, 12 - 14 October 2023, vol.1, pp.2031-2040
Purpose: Specific heat capacity is one of the fundamental thermal properties and is essential for understanding the heat storage capacity of asphalt concrete. Accordingly, this study aims to measure the specific heat capacity by developing a special calorimetry device. It also focuses on the effects of mix components on the specific heat capacity of asphalt concrete.
Study design/methodology/approach: Superpave gyratory is used to compact mixtures containing different combinations of two aggregate sources and three air void contents. A thermally insulated cabinet based on the principles of calorimetry is developed to monitor temperature changes and accurately measure the specific heat capacity of the asphalt concrete samples. In the test setup, heat is transferred from the hot water in the insulated cabinet to the asphalt concrete sample, which initially has a lower temperature. When the water and the sample pair in the cabinet reach equilibrium at a constant temperature, the energy absorbed by the sample is equal to the energy delivered by the bath water. This thermal equilibrium is necessary to determine the specific heat capacity of the asphalt concrete sample.
Findings: The study shows that the temperature change in the asphalt concrete sample results from heat transfer between the sample pair and the water in calorimetry, providing information about the thermal behavior of the mix. The study also shows that the variations in the mix components, aggregate type and air void content affect the specific heat capacity at different levels.
Originality/value: This study focuses on the development of an experimental setup to determine the specific heat capacity of asphalt concrete. Measuring the specific heat capacity of composite materials such as asphalt concrete using a calorimeter device in a controlled laboratory environment remains a challenge. Therefore, the experimental setup developed in this study allows for a comprehensive investigation of the specific heat capacity of asphalt concrete samples in terms of their ability to conduct and store heat when exposed to temperature differences.
Keywords: Specific heat capacity; Asphalt concrete; Calorimetry; Heat transfer.