CNN.com has a story describing a new technology that might permanently address the problem of snowy roads. Scott Brusaw, a 53-year-old electrical engineer from Sagle, Idaho, has prompted interest from the federal government and General Electric in his idea for a solar-powered roadway made from super-strong glass, instead of conventional asphalt or concrete. Solar cells inside the glass surface would allow the roadway to act as a giant solar power generator, fueling embedded heating elements and making plows and other snow removal equipment unnecessary.
In an alternative approach, civil engineer Rajib Mallick and a group of colleagues from Worcester Polytechnic Institute are working to develop stronger, heat-absorbing pavements. One idea is to embed the pavement with half-inch pipes filled with a fluid that resists freezing. In warmer weather, sun-heated fluid is stored in an insulated chamber, where it stays hot. Then, in cold weather when it's needed, that hot fluid is sent through the pipes to melt ice and snow. Mallick’s work is being supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.
