US: A team at Michigan State University has commenced a pilot study of four concrete slabs formulated to melt ice and snow, installed in a pedestrian area at its Lansing campus in Michigan. The slabs store heat from solar radiation and release it when temperatures drop to 0°C. Sub-hairline cracks in the concrete proved self-healing in earlier testing. Local press has reported that the team will monitor the slabs through Winter 2024 – 2025, as they are exposed to weather and footfall.
Researcher Quingxu Jin said "This concrete could revolutionise infrastructure for urban communities by reducing maintenance costs and for rural communities that need safer, sustainable solutions."
Michigan State University team pilots self-heating, self-healing concrete slabs
