Design of electric heat pipe embedding schemes for snow-melting pavement based on mechanical properties in cold regions

Abstract To obtain reasonable electric heat pipe embedding schemes (EHP-ES) of the snow-melting pavement in cold regions, the mechanical properties of the snow-melting pavement with electric heat pipe (SMP-EHP) were investigated by laboratory experiments and finite element simulations. The bending experiments and melting experiments were conducted to analyze the effect of EHP-ES on the mechanical properties of the concrete slab. Additionally, the finite element model was established to simulate the actual SMP-EHP in cold regions. The allowable flexural tensile strength of cement concrete was used as the judgment index to determine the reasonableness of EHP-ES. In this case, the mechanical properties of concrete slabs with different EHP-ES were studied under two most unfavorable conditions. Based on the experimental and simulated results, the design criteria of the EHP-ES was proposed, and the reasonable EHP-ES (embedding depth: 14.0-16cm, embedding spacing: 12.0 cm-18.0 cm) were obtained. Finally, a test road in Tibet was paved to verify the feasibility of the above reasonable EHP-ES further. The research results could enrich the design of EHP-ES for snow-melting pavement in cold regions from the aspect of the mechanical properties of the concrete slab.