Toward the Design of an Induction Heating System for Asphalt Pavements with the Finite Element Method

Induction technology was introduced to the paving industry to assist pavement operations by heating asphalt layers efficiently from the surface. Many experimental studies have been conducted to investigate the impact of inductive particles on the heating efficiency of asphalt mixes. However, research is limited on the quantification of design, the operational factors, and the associated degree of heat generation of induction treatment. This study assessed the hypothesis that different systems of induction coils provoke different levels of heat generation within an inductive asphalt layer. First, a three-dimensional induction heating finite element model was developed to evaluate the design and effect of operational factors for a static single-turn induction coil system. The electrical conductivity values of the material in the inductive asphalt pavement were calibrated with a laboratory-scale induction device. Moving induction systems were analyzed with different operational conditions considered. The supplied power and the traveling speed of the induction system appeared to be the most influential operational factors for the development of a quick and highly efficient system. The developed model creates an opportunity to apply these analyses to asphalt pavements to optimize the technology in situ.