Nebraska bridge conductive concrete de-icing system first in nation - Management and Administration

Public Roads, May-June, 2002

A new bridge de-icing system in Nebraska will be the first of its kind on a U.S. roadway. Scheduled for installation during summer 2002, the system is part of a bridge and roadway construction project underway on Roca Spur S-55F, off U.S.-77 about 10 miles south of Lincoln, NE.

The de-icing system will be installed on a concrete slab bridge located within 60 feet of a railroad crossing, where rapid deceleration is required. Based on research conducted at the University of Nebraska, the system operates by warming the pavement whenever icy weather is expected.

University of Nebraska researchers Sherif Yehia and Dr. Christopher Than developed the conductive concrete mix in 1998, specifically for installation on bridge decks. The Nebraska Department of Roads worked with Than to make this field application possible. Tuan will publish a report evaluating the system after a couple of seasons of operation. If the system proves to be effective, it will be installed near intersections and on curves where pavement and bridge icing conditions contribute to crashes, potentially reducing injury and saving lives.

The only known application of a similar technology in the United States is a sidewalk in Shelby, OH.