Thermodynamic-based numerical modeling of induction–microwave heating in asphalt concrete: From laboratory to field scales

This study presents a thermodynamics-based framework for the coupled thermo-electromagnetic constitutive modeling and numerical simulation of induction heating in asphalt concrete. The numerical framework is developed to simulate the induction heating of asphalt concrete under electromagnetic fields at laboratory and field scales, enabling the establishment of a link between laboratory and field scale heating. Poynting ’s theorem, representing the total energy in the electromagnetic field, is employed in the thermodynamic formulation to derive the storage and dissipated energy components. The constitutive model is then numerically integrated in the finite element (FE) framework. The laboratory results from the induction heating tests on asphalt concrete were used to calibrate and validate the constitutive model. The calibrated constitutive model is further applied to field-scale simulations to predict induction heating in asphalt pavements and to determine the power ratio required to achieve comparable heating rates between the laboratory and field scales. The simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed model in predicting the induction heating of asphalt concrete. The simulation results reveal substantial differences in the heating process between the field and laboratory scales and highlight the advantages of the proposed model in predicting induction heating for practical applications and establishing a link between laboratory and field scales. • Thermodynamic derivation of coupled thermo-electromagnetic model is presented. • Induction heating of asphalt concrete is investigated through laboratory experiments. • Induction heating of asphalt concrete is simulated numerically. • The absorbed thermal energy as a function of volume is calculated numerically. • Field-scale induction heating of asphalt pavements is simulated numerically.