Using Pavements to Generate Electricity

As part of developing a safe, efficient, and sustainable transportation infrastructure, health monitoring of pavements and bridges, as well as the monitoring of real-time roadway conditions for safety, have become increasingly important. The sensors, data acquisition, and data transmission equipment needed for such monitoring require electricity that is often unavailable, in short supply, unreliable, or a combination of the three. The development of a more robust and capable health and safety monitoring equipment will be greatly facilitated by a more ample, reliable source of electricity than is currently available. This investigation explores the concept of using pavements as thermoelectric generators to produce and supply electricity, using the temperature differential that exists between a pavement’s surface and its underlying layers. A thermoelectric module was placed within a hot-mix asphalt pavement system and a Portland cement concrete pavement system in the laboratory and subjected to full-spectrum lights. The amount of electricity generated was measured, and the results indicated that electricity can be generated. Initial power generation suggests that one square meter pavement surface area may be capable of providing about 62000 microwatts, enough power for 620 wireless transmitters and the accompanying sensor. It is estimated that it may be possible to produce up to 300 W/lane-km.