Solar Energy Harvesting and Improved Road Monitoring and Assessment Tool (C22.2022)

Asphalt surfaces become hot during the day because they absorb incoming sunlight. This project strives to demonstrate how some of that energy can be put to a productive use. Temperature differences within the pavement – hot near the top, cool further down – are used to generate electricity at a low voltage. As an example, to demonstrate how to capitalize on this available energy, it is used to power a mechanism that monitors the roadway deformation by using a mechanical strain sensor. Small deformations of the roadway (“micro-strain”) are to be measured in real time with the embedded sensor. A prototype was developed and was installed on a feeder road to the University of Rhode Island (URI) during the 2nd year study. Thus, this proposed project will monitor the impact of cars, light trucks, and heavy trucks as vehicles come to the campus for deliveries of equipment and construction materials etc. The device extracts energy from the pavement while fully powering the sensor. The project includes modeling work to quantify the viability and performance of this energy harvesting approach. When this multi-disciplinary project will be successful, the new advanced tool will allow improving the durability and/or longevity of the asphalt pavement. During and after the project, PI plans to work with West Warwick High School teacher, Mr. Michael Shunney and his students who are jointly participating in the NSF funded Education for USA (E4USA) project.

• Record URL:
  https://www.tidc-utc.org/kb/c22-2022-uri/

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $153079
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3551847101

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  University of Rhode Island, Kingston

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  Kingston, RI  United States  02881
• Managing Organizations:

  Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center

  University of Maine
  Orono, ME  United States  04469

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Dunn, Denise

• Performing Organizations:

  Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center

  University of Maine
  Orono, ME  United States  04469

  University of Rhode Island, Kingston

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  Kingston, RI  United States  02881
• Principal Investigators:

  Lee, K

  DeCotis, Austin

• Start Date: 20220701
• Expected Completion Date: 20230630
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Absorption; Asphalt pavements; Deformation; Monitoring; Sensors; Solar energy; Solar power generation; Temperature
• Identifier Terms: University of Rhode Island, Kingston
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Energy; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01851449
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551847101
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Jul 15 2022 3:38PM