Comprehensive evaluation of thermally conductive functional layer on snow-melting performance for electric heating bridge system

The most commonly used chemical salt agents for melting ice and snow can lead to the corrosion of the steel structure of the bridge deck, as well as potential pollution of nearby rivers and soil through infiltration and surface runoff. The heating bridge system with electric cable is a promising environmentally friendly technology for snow removal. However, the unique suspension and multi-layer characteristics of the bridge pavement make it challenging to efficiently transfer the heat generated by the electric heating bridge system to the pavement surface. To enhance snow-melting efficiency, a novel directional heat transfer electric heating bridge system with a thermally conductive functional layer (EHBS-TCFL) has been introduced. Initially, a series of tests, including thermal conductivity tests, compressive tests, and bending tests, were performed on TCFL with different mix ratios. Then the TCFL with the most favorable mix ratios was determined based on the fuzzy mathematics method. Subsequently, the heating and snow-melting performance of EHBS-TCFL was evaluated. The results indicated that the thermally conductive functional layer, which includes reduced iron powder with a watercement ratio of 0.53 and an iron powder-cement ratio of 2, represents the optimal solution for achieving exceptional thermal conductivity, flexural strength, and compressive strength. Furthermore, the presence of TCFL positively impacts the enhancement and uniformity of surface temperatures, leading to a 12.7% increase in total energy utilization efficiency. This study offers significant potential for the application of snow-melting on bridge decks in cold regions.