Program for Sustainable Pavement Engineering and Research

About the research

An electrically conductive concrete (ECON) heated pavement system (HPS) utilizes the inherent electrical resistance of concrete to maintain the pavement surface at above-freezing temperatures and thus prevent snow and ice accumulation on the surface. Such a sustainable concrete pavement system can improve its infrastructure resiliency by allowing it to be safe, open, and accessible during even harsh winter storms. The primary objective of this project is to to enhance the practicality of the ECON mix design and ECON HPS field implementation by conducting necessary tests to establish a defined range of electrical conductivity compliant with national electrical safety specifications for executing the construction of the Iowa City Bus Stop Enhancement Project. This will be achieved through execution of the following primary tasks: (1) project management; (2) formulating robust production, transportation, and quality control/assurance (QC/QA) protocols; (3) determining electrical safety protocols; (4) developing implementation plans with recommendations; and (5) producing a final project report. The outcomes of this project will include both best-practice guidance on the steadfast and uniform quality of ECON mixture production as well as a defined range of electrical conductivity for the ECON HPS, ensuring both performance and safety. Such outcomes could result in successful implementation of the ECON HPS for the Iowa City Bus Stop Enhancement Project.