A Feasibility Study of Road Culvert Bridge Deck Deicing Using Geothermal Energy

Adverse winter weather conditions have a significant impact on the safety, operation and maintenance of transportation infrastructure. Snow accumulation on roads and bridges reduces their capacity, decreases safety and increases travel delays. Ice accumulation in and around culverts may adversely affect fish movement and causes flooding and extensive economic losses. Ice accumulation can also lead to propagation of the freezing front into the soil around the culvert and increase the risk of frost heave in the frost-susceptible subsoil in road sections adjacent to the culvert. Therefore, deicing bridge decks and culverts is a major maintenance concern in areas with extreme cold weather. Reduction of ice and snow on bridges also leads to safer roadways and enhanced winter traffic mobility. The proposed research project will investigate the feasibility of using a ground-coupled system that utilizes heat energy harvested from the ground as an alternative for deicing bridges and culverts. The ground-coupled system relies on the circulation of water through pipes placed underground (either vertically or horizontally) to utilize the natural heat retained by the earth.

• Record URL:
  https://www.mdt.mt.gov/research/projects/deicing-geothermal.aspx

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $210,701
• Contract Numbers:

  9890-784

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Montana Department of Transportation

  2701 Prospect Avenue
  P.O. Box 201001
  Helena, MT  United States  59620-1001
• Managing Organizations:

  Montana Department of Transportation

  2701 Prospect Avenue
  P.O. Box 201001
  Helena, MT  United States  59620-1001
• Project Managers:

  Callejas, Vaneza

• Performing Organizations:

  Montana State University, Bozeman

  P.O Box 174250
  Bozeman, MT  United States  59717
• Principal Investigators:

  Khosravi, Mohammad

• Start Date: 20200713
• Expected Completion Date: 20240630
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Deicing; Geothermal resources
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; I62: Winter Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01719324
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Montana Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 9890-784
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Oct 14 2019 11:03AM