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yossup
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linear expansion problem...urgent!
A concrete highway is built of slabs 12m long (20 degrees C). How wide should the expansion cracks between the slabs be (at 15 C) to prevent buckling if the range of temperature is - 30 C to 43 C?
change in length = (coefficient) (initial length) (change in temperature)
coefficient = 12 * 10^(-6)
So first I solved the length of the slabs at 15 C =
coefficient (12m) (-5 degrees C) = -7.2 * 10^(-4)
so (12m - 7.2 * 10^(-4)) = 11.99m
so at 15 degrees C, the slab is 11.99m
Then I solved how much it would expand/contract at 43C/-30C
basically
change of length from 15C to 43C = .00403m
change of length from 15c to -30c = -.00648
since in an expansion crack, there are slabs on both sides which would BOTH expand, I thought the answer would be .00403m + .00403m but it's wrong.
I've tried
.00403m + .00648m
.00403*2 + .00648*2
but these are all wrong.
What am I missing? No matter how much I think about it...I don't get what about my calculations are wrong. Thanks!
Homework Statement
A concrete highway is built of slabs 12m long (20 degrees C). How wide should the expansion cracks between the slabs be (at 15 C) to prevent buckling if the range of temperature is - 30 C to 43 C?
Homework Equations
change in length = (coefficient) (initial length) (change in temperature)
coefficient = 12 * 10^(-6)
The Attempt at a Solution
So first I solved the length of the slabs at 15 C =
coefficient (12m) (-5 degrees C) = -7.2 * 10^(-4)
so (12m - 7.2 * 10^(-4)) = 11.99m
so at 15 degrees C, the slab is 11.99m
Then I solved how much it would expand/contract at 43C/-30C
basically
change of length from 15C to 43C = .00403m
change of length from 15c to -30c = -.00648
since in an expansion crack, there are slabs on both sides which would BOTH expand, I thought the answer would be .00403m + .00403m but it's wrong.
I've tried
.00403m + .00648m
.00403*2 + .00648*2
but these are all wrong.
What am I missing? No matter how much I think about it...I don't get what about my calculations are wrong. Thanks!
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