ABSTRACT
Snow/ice on the pavement surface is a known challenge to road authorities around the world. Several deicing technologies are currently being examined by various agencies. However, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, none of the technologies have been successfully implemented. In this study, authors studied the input requirements such as frequency, power and distance from microwave source on the deicing efficiency. The required deicing microwave energy was considered as a performance indicator which was analyzed at different initial conditions of temperature and thicknesses of ice as observed in a typical road network of China. Two different approaches to add microwave absorbing materials on the pavement surface are presented: a) by partial replacement of filler material and b) by using them as surface coating treatment. Microwave heating tests were carried out to evaluate the response of both approaches under the influence of environmental factors.
