Field implementation of electrically heated precast concrete panels: A case study

An electrically heated precast concrete panel system was developed as an efficient and sustainable solution for snow and ice removal on roadways, ensuring enhanced driver safety during winter storms and snowy conditions. The system comprises three core elements: (i) electrically conductive cement-based heating modules incorporating carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes, (ii) stainless-steel bars as electrodes to distribute electric current, and (iii) electrical power control panels tailored to meet the anticipated power demand for achieving the target heating performance-a 20 degrees C surface temperature increase within 2 hours. In November 2023, this system was implemented in a construction project in Seoul, South Korea, where a 20-m-long single-lane asphalt pavement section at a bus stop was replaced with precast concrete panels designed to withstand heavy bus traffic loads. Prior to field implementation, the heating and deicing performance of the developed system was evaluated in a full-scale climatic chamber at the Center for Climatic Environment Real-Scale Testing (CERT) of the Korea Conformity Laboratories (KCL), where realistic snowy scenarios could be simulated and reproduced. Both full-scale laboratory and field evaluations showed satisfactory heating performance, achieving a 20 degrees C surface temperature increase within 2 hours with a power density of 450-500 W/m2. While much existing research on electrically heated concrete has centered on lab-scale specimens with simple electrode layouts, this study is significant as one of the first to be conducted on the fully operational pavement.