Multi-objective optimization of the design and operation for snow-melting pavement with electric heating pipes

Snow-melting pavement with electric heating pipes (SMP-EHP) is used to mitigate the accumulated snow problem for large longitudinal slopes or slippery roads. To improve its operation efficiency, the structural model and thermal simulations of the SMP-EHP were studied. The electric heating pipe's embedded spacing (s) and embedded depth (d), the heating power (P) and the wind velocity (v) were considered as the input parameters. The total heating time (THT) and the lost energy rate (LER) for the melting process were considered as the prediction responses. The prediction models for THT and LER were proposed by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The single input parameter's effects on prediction responses and the interactions between them were analyzed by the assisted thermal simulation. The rationality of the prediction models and simulations were validated by statistical analysis and experiments. Additionally, for decreasing THT, LER, a multi-objective optimization on THT and the lost energy (LE) was built through the genetic algorithm. Through optimization, the recommended parameters are proposed. The results and suggestions could efficiently guide the operation of SMP-EHP.