Date Approved
9-26-2024
Embargo Period
9-27-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
College
Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering
Advisor
Yusuf Mehta, Ph.D., P.E.
Committee Member 1
David Brill, Ph.D., P.E.
Committee Member 2
Sadie Casillas, Ph.D.
Committee Member 3
John Schmalzel, Ph.D., P.E.
Committee Member 4
Gilson Lomboy, Ph.D., P.E.
Keywords
Accelerated pavement testing;Electrically conductive asphalt;Electrically heated pavements;Heavy vehicle simulator;Mechanical performance;Snow removal
Subject(s)
Pavements, Asphalt; Ice prevention and control
Disciplines
Civil and Environmental Engineering | Civil Engineering | Engineering
Abstract
Winter conditions often lead to significant traffic delays and safety risks due to ice or snow accumulation on pavement surfaces. This study evaluates the potential of electrically conductive asphalt (ECA) pavements to prevent such accumulations by melting ice and snow under real-world conditions. The study involved preparing ECA mixtures using graphite and carbon fibers, three carbon fiber lengths (3 mm, 6 mm, and 24 mm), and aggregates with two nominal maximum aggregate sizes (NMAS) (4.75 mm and 9.5 mm). Electrical resistivity, rutting susceptibility and cracking resistance of compacted ECA mixtures were evaluated. Results indicated that ECA mixtures with 15% graphite and 2% carbon fiber had similar electrical resistivity, improved rutting and cracking performance compared to mixture with 30% graphite. Subsequently, full-scale test strips were constructed in New Jersey and Alaska using the ECA mixtures to further evaluate the deicing effectiveness and mechanical performance on a structural level. The deicing performance indicated that the ECA test strips could maintain a snow-free pavement surface with a thermal power output as low as 6 W/ft2 [65 W/m2] under winter conditions in New Jersey. Additionally, the application of accelerated truck loading on the test strips using a Heavy Vehicle Simulator (HVS) showed that the ECA test strips performed comparably to conventional asphalt pavement.
Recommended Citation
Padinhare Purakkal, Ashith Marath, "DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE ASPHALT PAVEMENTS FOR DEICING APPLICATIONS IN COLD REGIONS" (2024). Theses and Dissertations. 3299.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/3299
