Experiment Research on the Maximum Temperature Difference during Concrete Hydration of Box Girder Bridge Construction

The temperature data of a post-tensioned continuous concrete box-girder bridge have been monitored during concrete hydration period. Based on the measured data, the temperature in the different positions of the concrete box girder section was systemically analyzed to extract the max temperature difference. An experiment method for predicting the extremum temperature of concrete box-girder was proposed. The results show that a larger temperature difference between inside and outside concrete occurred in the course of hardening of concrete, the maximum temperature can reach 62.6 C. Therefore, some certain method to keep concrete surface in a warm mode is necessary. The results are useful in estimating the temperature difference in concrete box-girder construction.