Development of a thermal design framework for electrically conductive concrete heated transportation infrastructure

Abstract

While electrically conductive heated transportation infrastructure systems offer an alternative to traditional snow and ice removal methods, ensuring continuous serviceability during snowstorms, the lack of an established design methodology has hindered the widespread adoption of this technology. This study proposes a comprehensive thermal design approach for electrically conductive concrete (ECON) heated transportation infrastructure systems. The failure mechanisms of ECON heated transportation infrastructure systems have been identified by analyzing the electrical and thermal behavior of ECON beams, demonstration-scale slabs, and water bath tests, with results indicating that system malfunctions may occur if electrical power consumption exceeds the threshold power coefficient. Maintaining power consumption within this threshold allows design engineers to optimize critical parameters, including the electrical conductivity of ECON, electrode size, shape, spacing, placement depth, and system voltage. A statistical thermal model was also developed to evaluate whether a designed ECON heated transportation infrastructure systems can achieve user-defined heat output, ensuring reliable thermal performance. The proposed thermal design methodology can also be adapted for electrically conductive asphalt concrete (ECAC) with necessary modifications. This study provides a systematic design framework for electrically conductive heated infrastructure systems, enabling large-scale implementation.