Construction of Electrically Heated Pavement Using Recycled Waste Rubber Tires

Accumulated snow on roads presents a dual risk of accidents and financial losses. Conventional de-icing methods, which rely on chemicals, salt, and heavy machinery, are unsustainable and detrimental to both the environment and infrastructure. Furthermore, they demand significant labor and pose hazards in densely populated areas. In response, heated pavement systems such as hydronic and electrically conductive concrete (ECON) have gained traction for mitigating snow accumulation on roads. However, the use of carbon fiber and carbon black in ECON raises costs and depletes valuable resources. This research introduces an inventive and sustainable approach to address snow accumulation on rigid pavements during winter. The proposed method utilizes waste rubber tires (WRT) as heating pads for pavements. The steel wires within these tires generate heat when an electric current is applied. The study validates this method by embedding WRT across the rigid pavement, creating an electric circuit connected to a power source. The rubber tire pads demonstrated high efficiency in conducting electricity, significantly increasing temperatures with a 6 V supply. The tire rubber pads reached up to 46.3°C and 60°C using different electric circuit designs, compared with the ambient temperature of 22°C–23°C. Embedded in concrete, these pads raised surface temperatures to as high as 52°C, effectively melting snow, ice cubes, and crushed ice within 1 h. This method provides an environmentally friendly and sustainable solution. This research unveils a groundbreaking strategy for de-icing snow on rigid pavements, offering a sustainable substitute for traditional de-icing procedures and addressing resource depletion.