Incorporating phase change materials in pavements for thermoregulation: An experimental investigation

Abstract

Majority of cities in the world are affected by the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. The UHI effect is a byproduct of urbanization, and the problem is anticipated to worsen in the future, particularly as the urban areas expand. One of the primary causes of the UHI is the transformation of natural areas into artificial structures that absorb heat energy. Pavements comprise a substantial portion of the urban fabric and are continually exposed to solar radiation. As the pavement temperature holds a strong correlation with the air temperature, a reduction in pavement temperature contributes to UHI alleviation. Pavements specially designed to perform cooler than traditional pavements are known as cool pavements. The present study aims at developing cool concrete and asphalt pavements by incorporating phase change materials (PCM). As the direct addition of PCM adversely affects the desirable properties of concrete and asphalt, they are provided in encapsulated form. In this study, shape-stabilization and core-shell encapsulation techniques were adopted for incorporating PCM in concrete and asphalt pavements, respectively. With PCM integration, the annual average concrete pavement temperatures reduced by 2.24C, with a maximum of 4.12C. Whereas, PCM inclusion in asphalt pavements had a peak temperature drop of 4.36C and a six-month average temperature reduction of 2.57C. Furthermore, the statistical study revealed that PCM integration consistently and significantly reduces pavement surface temperature. � 2024 selection and editorial matter, A.F. Nikolaides and E. Manthos; individual chapters, the contributors.