Heat setting system development of bridge floor surface using low temperature geothermal energy

Abstract

Multilevel transport interchanges play a decisive role in the road infrastructure both throughout the world and in Russia. Significant problems of the safe operation of multi-level highways in the general metropolitan traffic system and the country territory, in general, are associated with the need to thoroughly clear them of snow and ice during winter and off-season periods. The simplest, most obvious, and historically proven non-mechanical ice control method is using the chemical reagents mixtures. Despite the fact that the quality of the original anti-ice chemical products is constantly being improved, the reagents composition is updating, the target operation remains unchanged — a decrease in the ice and snow melting temperature point. Unfortunately, in the process of melting with heavy snowfall, the concentration and, accordingly, the brine viscosity increases, leading to «oiling» of the asphalt pavement, thereby worsening the already difficult situation on the road. One of the attractive ways to keep the roadway in proper condition is to heat it to get rid of ice. Direct heating methods such as central heating or electric heating are too costly and economically unfeasible. It seems promising to use low-temperature geothermal energy, which will significantly reduce energy costs and increase the transport projects’ economic attractiveness. This work is devoted to the study of the practical applicability of the bridge floor surface heat setting technology using low-temperature geothermal energy as part of the «Best available technologies» concept implementation in accordance with GOST R 56828.15-2016 in terms of infrastructure facilities energy efficiency. Based on the work results, the authors provide the study results and numerical modeling, as well as their comparison. The results presented in this article are a part of the dissertation research «New technological solutions development for the bridge floor surface at transport interchanges» Kostenko S.А.