Title: Research on Electrically Conductive Concrete with Double- Layered Stainless Steel Fibers for Pavement Deicing

Author(s): Ying-hua Bai, Wei Chen, Bo Chen, and Rui Tu

Publication: Materials Journal

Volume: 114

Issue: 6

Appears on pages(s): 935-943

Keywords: ambient temperature; deicing efficiency; double-layered steel fiber; electrically conductive concrete; resistivity

DOI: 10.14359/51700993

Date: 11/1/2017

Abstract:
Ice accumulation on pavements may make winter travel hazardous and affect traffic and pedestrian safety substantially. Nevertheless, traditional road salt and deicing chemicals may cause damage to concrete and corrosion of reinforcing steel. To this end, a new type of electrically conductive concrete with double-layered stainless steel fiber (DSSF) for deicing of pavement is actively developed and tested in this study. The configuration of electrically conductive concrete with the DSSF is presented first. The steel fiber layers in the top and bottom of the pavement act as the main conductive phases for heat generation. Conductivity of the concrete matrix is improved with graphite, silica fume, or steel fibers. Different kinds of specimens are fabricated and tested for a performance evaluation of resistivity. The effects of the hydrating age, power voltage, and temperature on resistivity of concrete are investigated through experiments. Furthermore, the tests on deicing efficiency of electrically conductive concrete are carried out under different ambient temperatures and ice thicknesses. The effects of power input, ambient temperature, and ice thickness on the deicing efficiency are examined in detail. The observations made indicate that the developed DSSF concrete presents satisfactory resistivity performance and ice-removing capability.