Conductive Bitumen and Asphalt Mixtures for Smart Pavements: De-icing and Snow Melting, Self-Healing, Energy Harvesting, and Self-Sensing Monitoring

Authors

• Ahmed Fouda, Graduate Student at Public Works Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.Follow
• Pengfei Liu, Junior Professor at Institute of Highway Engineering (ISAC), RWTH Aachen University, Aachen 52074, Germany.
• Aboelkasim Diab, Professor at Department of Civil Engineering, Aswan University, Aswan 81542, Egypt.
• Lingyun You, Professor at School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
• Fan Gu, Assistant Professor at School of Traffic & Transportation Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Hunan 410114, China.
• Xu Yang, Professor at School of Future Transportation and School of Highway, Chang'an University, Xi'an, Shannxi 710064, China
• Alaa Gabr, Professor at Public Works Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
• Sherif El-Badawy, Professor at Public Works Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
• Ahmed Awed, Associate Professor at Public Works Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.

Subject Area

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Article Type

Review

Abstract

Evolving transportation infrastructure requires transitioning from passive roadways to smart, multifunctional pavement systems. This review synthesizes research on conductive bitumen and asphalt mixtures engineered for self-heating, self-healing, and self-sensing capabilities. Self-heating enables conductive pavements to generate heat internally via Joule heating or electromagnetic induction, raising surface temperatures for de-icing or healing activation without external heat.

Based on percolation theory, integrating conductive additives from carbon-based fillers (graphite powder, GP; carbon black, CB; graphene) to metallic fibers (steel wool, SW; steel fibers, SFs)—transforms the insulating bituminous matrix into a conductive composite. A key trade-off exists: fibrous additives like carbon fibers (CFs) and SFs create efficient conductive networks at low dosages, whereas particulate fillers like GP and steel slag (SS) are cost-effective but less conductive. Optimal functionality, balancing electrical conductivity and mechanical performance, depends on filler morphology, volume fraction, and dispersion quality.

The review contrasts wet and dry mixing techniques and emphasizes standardized conductivity measurements, like the four-probe method, to ensure reproducibility. Practical applications include Joule heating for autonomous snow/ice removal, induction and microwave heating for crack healing, and piezoresistive properties for real-time structural health monitoring. Emerging technologies like energy harvesting, wireless power transfer, artificial intelligence, and digital twins are also explored. Finally, critical barriers to large-scale implementation, material cost, long-term durability, scalability, and lacking standardized testing frameworks are identified.

Keywords

Self-Sensing Bitumen, Conductive Additives, Snow Melting Pavement, Induction-Based Self-Healing, Structural Health Monitoring, Strain Monitoring.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Fouda, Ahmed; Liu, Pengfei; Diab, Aboelkasim; You, Lingyun; Gu, Fan; Yang, Xu; Gabr, Alaa; El-Badawy, Sherif; and Awed, Ahmed (2026) "Conductive Bitumen and Asphalt Mixtures for Smart Pavements: De-icing and Snow Melting, Self-Healing, Energy Harvesting, and Self-Sensing Monitoring," Mansoura Engineering Journal: Vol. 51 : Iss. 5 , Article 29.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.58491/2735-4202.3524