Investigation of de-icing of roads with conductive concrete pavement containing carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP)

In this article, an electrically conductive concrete slab was made using carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and adding it to the concrete matrix. The purpose of making these conductive concrete slabs was evaluating the potential of de-icing the conductive concrete slabs due to electrical heating generated and also, investigating the mechanical strength of concrete samples. In this experiment, two direct and alternating electric current of 3.75 V were used. Using digital thermocouples, the slab surface temperatures were measured and recorded over time. The increase in the compressive strength of cubic concrete samples with the dimensions of 100 mm and 1 and 2% of CFRP, as compared with plain concrete specimens, was 8.39 and 21.43%, respectively. Also, increase in the flexural strength of beam concrete samples with the dimensions of 100 mm x 100 mm x 500 mm and 1 and 2% of CFRP, as compared with plain concrete specimens, was 5.62 and 5.34%, respectively. The temperature of concrete slabs containing 1% and 2% of CFRP in a 3.75-V alternating current at the time of 200 min was increased from -10 to 10.5 degrees C and 11.7 degrees C, respectively. The temperature of the slabs under the direct current of 3.75 V at the same time was increased to 5.5 and 6.4 degrees C, respectively. The results indicated that concrete slabs containing CFRPs, besides having proper mechanical properties, had a superior ability in de-icing.