Innovative Dual-Function Heated Pavement System Using Hollow Steel Pipe for Sustainable De-Icing

Sangwoo Park, Hizb Ullah, Annas Fiaz Abbasi, Hangseok Choi and Seokjae Lee ()
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Sangwoo Park: Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Korea Military Academy, Seoul 01805, Republic of Korea
Hizb Ullah: Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental, Kunsan National University, Gunsan-si 54150, Republic of Korea
Annas Fiaz Abbasi: Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental, Kunsan National University, Gunsan-si 54150, Republic of Korea
Hangseok Choi: School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
Seokjae Lee: Department of Civil Engineering, Kunsan National University, Gunsan-si 54150, Republic of Korea

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-23

Abstract: Winter road safety is threatened by black ice, while traditional de-icing methods, such as chemical spreading and electrically heated pavement systems, raise concerns about environmental impact and economic costs. This study proposed a hydronic heated pavement system utilizing geothermal energy (HHPS-G)-integrated concrete pavement that ensures environmental sustainability and structural stability. The design utilizes hollow steel pipes as both reinforcement and heat exchange conduits, thereby eliminating the need for separate high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes. To enhance upward heat transfer, bottom-ash concrete was introduced as an alternative to conventional insulation, providing thermal insulation and structural strength. A validated numerical model was developed to compare the de-icing and snow-melting performance of different pipe types. The results show that hollow steel pipes reduced the time to reach 0 °C on the concrete pavement surface by 30.86% and improved heat flux by 10.19% compared to HDPE. The depth of pipe installation significantly influenced performance: positioning the pipes near the surface achieved the fastest heating (up to 70.11% faster), while mid-depth placement, recommended for structural integrity, still provided substantial thermal benefits. Variations in insulation thermal conductivity below 1 W/m·K had little effect, whereas replacing the base layer with bottom-ash concrete provided both insulation and strength without the need for separate insulation layers.

Keywords: hydronic heated pavement system; hollow steel pipe heat exchanger; bottom-ash concrete insulation; de-icing and snow-melting performance; 3D heat transfer model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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