An Ultra-Thin, Microwave-Absorbing Wear Layer for Pavement Deicing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Civil Engineering
• Energy

Background:

• Microwave heating is used for pavement deicing, but energy efficiency is low due to wasted microwave energy.
• Current methods struggle to improve deicing efficiency, necessitating novel approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance microwave energy utilization and deicing efficiency in asphalt pavements.
• To develop an ultra-thin, microwave-absorbing wear layer (UML) using silicon carbide (SiC)-replaced aggregates.

Main Methods:

• Prepared UML by replacing aggregates with SiC in asphalt mixtures.
• Investigated the effects of SiC particle size, SiC content, oil-stone ratio, and UML thickness.
• Evaluated energy saving and material reduction compared to overall heating.

Main Results:

• A 10 mm UML effectively melted 2 mm of ice in 52 s at -20 °C.
• The minimum UML thickness meeting pavement specifications (≥2000 με) was 10 mm.
• Optimized SiC content (20%) and particle size (<2.36 mm) reduced deicing time and improved heating rates.
• UML saved 75% of power and SiC material compared to conventional heating.

Conclusions:

• The developed UML significantly improves microwave deicing efficiency.
• The UML offers substantial energy and material savings for pavement deicing applications.
• The study demonstrates the feasibility of using SiC in asphalt mixtures for enhanced microwave absorption and deicing performance.