Thermoelectric, piezoelectric and photovoltaic harvesting technologies for pavement engineering

Abstract

With the advent of the electric vehicle era, the potential function of monitoring, communication, and energy supply of the pavement system has received utmost research interest. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive literature review of thermoelectric, piezoelectric, and photovoltaic technologies used in pavement engineering. Based on the ambient energy distribution principle, the thermoelectric module and piezoelectric transducer are recommended to install near the top of the second surface layer, while solar panels replaced the surface layer. Power density and Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) were introduced to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of three technologies. The results showed that piezoelectric transducers had lower power density but higher LCOE than thermoelectric modules, and photovoltaic technology had the highest power density among them. Therefore, the application of these technologies was different. Thermoelectric technology was mainly used to mitigate urban heat island effect and pavement rutting; piezoelectric technology can power low-power electronics such as wireless remote sensors for pavement disease and traffic condition monitoring; solar pavement had multiple functions based on its large power density. Future studies should focus on the durability, safety, and life cycle cost of energy generation technologies through a systemic approach. Furthermore, hybrid energy generation technology such as piezoelectric-pyroelectric coupling system and photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) systems is recommended to consider.