Experimental Investigation of Geothermal Ice-Melting Efficiency on Pavement at Highway Tunnel Entrances in Cold Regions

Abstract

Rapid and efficient de-icing methods are essential to ensure vehicle safety at highway tunnel entrances in cold regions. While geothermal ice-melting technology offers environmental and sustainability advantages, its application in tunnel entrance scenarios remains limited. To address this gap, a four-factor, three-level orthogonal ice-melting experiment was designed to systematically evaluate the ice-melting efficiency of a geothermal hydronic heating system under simulated cold-region tunnel conditions. Key variables, including ambient temperature (−7.5–−12.5 °C), fluid temperature (40–60 °C), wind speed (4.5–6.5 m/s), and preheating duration (0–4 h), were tested in a controlled large-scale laboratory. Ice-melting efficiency was quantified by the time required to achieve a melting ratio of 0.7 for a 10 mm thick ice layer. Results identified ambient temperature (T_a) and fluid temperature (T_f) as dominant factors, with T_f = 50 °C serving as a critical operational threshold. Lower T_a prolonged the efficient ice-melting period due to increased convective heat loss, while higher wind speeds (6.5 m/s) enhanced sublimation-driven melting. The process was categorized into four distinct phases: initial, rapid, accelerated, and stabilization. Notably, pavement temperature stabilization preceded ice-melting rate equilibrium, and complete melting occurred even when surface temperatures remained sub-zero. These findings provide practical recommendations for optimizing geothermal system parameters in cold regions.

Keywords

de-icing / highway tunnel entrances / hydronic heating / orthogonal experiment / ice-melting ratio / tunnels / engineering geology

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