Ice-free parking spaces thanks to heated concrete

BTU researchers of the Chair of Polymer-Based Lightweight Design, together with cooperation partners from Hamburg, have succeeded in developing a heated concrete prototype and successfully putting it into operation.

Falling on a mirror-smooth parking lot or sliding over an icy wheelchair ramp could soon be a thing of the past. Researchers from the team of Professor Holger Seidlitz, head of the Chair of Polymer-Based Lightweight Design, have developed heatable spots consisting of a special conductive compound made from recycled materials. “The heating effect can be achieved using low voltage and the system can be operated with the help of renewable energies, such as solar and wind power systems. That is a huge benefit. So far, copper mats have been embedded in the concrete to heat external surfaces, but these will be destroyed if the surface is further processed. So we set ourselves the task of developing a new, robust system that can withstand these loads”, explains Seda Karagöl, B.Sc.

In October the team carried out a successful field test in Hamburg. The results are now available and the scientists can conclude the project, which was implemented as part of the Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM). The development of the new heating spots made from recycled compound makes it possible to keep large areas such as parking lots, sidewalks or driveways and ramps for wheelchair users at a certain temperature level. “A change in the aggregate state of water from liquid to solid can thus be prevented - the outdoor surfaces remain ice-free. This also allows us to support general public safety”, says Prof. Holger Seidlitz. Thanks to the simple external sensors that record temperature and humidity, the system does not require permanent monitoring, but can be set preventively. The first customer inquiries for driveways and private properties have already been made.

Contact

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Seidlitz
Polymerbasierter Leichtbau
T +49 (0) 355 69-2344
Holger.Seidlitz(at)B-TU.De

Seda Karagöl
Polymerbasierter Leichtbau