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(bright music)

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(steam hissing)

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- [Narrator] The geothermal energy,

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heat coming from the earth,

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may be able to offer the Texas
Department of Transportation

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another way to keep drivers safe.

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The University of Texas at
Arlington is working with TxDOT

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to research the feasibility
of this approach,

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as well as recommending
types of heating systems

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and geothermal structures that
can be used in the process.

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- We all experience in a day,

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we comes to the office
relatively warm, like 70, 80s,

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and then we will leave
our office in the evening,

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in the afternoon, it
already drop below freezing.

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So the bridges is easy to ice,

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because there's no thermal insulation.

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So these iced bridges with
the rest of the pavement

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is still free from ice,

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that causes a very dangerous situation.

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- So, we try to find a way how
we can keep our bridges warm,

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that way ice and snow
won't accumulate on it,

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and that way, keep the
traveling public safe.

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- [Xinbao] We use the geothermal
energy for bridge de-icing

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that we found is very effective.

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We test different variations,

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different versions, different scales.

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- [Elijah] UT Arlington
built a bridge closer,

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on our right of way,
closer to the railroad.

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They put some sensors and monitors on it

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and also the geothermal
heating equipment on it,

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which kept the bridge warm
during the cold weather.

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- We're using the closed plastic pipe,

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the pipe filled with water.

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One end of the pipe is inserted
deeply into the ground.

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The other side, we put
it underneath the bridge.

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So this waters inside the
pipes is driven by water pump.

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So we turn the water pump on.

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The heat is being carried from the ground,

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from the ground to the bridge
where the heat is needed.

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We investigated what
kind of a working fluid,

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working media, considering
different type of the bridge,

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different thickness with the bridge,

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how this technology gonna be
implemented on the bridge.

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So we did laboratory scale.
We do slab scale testing.

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We did in the simulated environment,

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also test the slab outside,
outdoor environment

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after we collecting a lot of good data.

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The solution within this
closed loop within the pipe

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is a mixture of glyco and water.

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It's very similar to where
we put it in our windshield

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that can keep it from freezing.

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The major benefit of this research,

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this using geothermal for bridge de-icing

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of course is keep the bridge free from ice

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and snow during winter events,

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and also the associated other issues

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with using the traditional
de-icers that have chemical,

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that can cause the
environmental pollution,

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corrode the bridges, so
there's also associated

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environmental benefits
of using this technology.

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- Which are preventative measures

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over the icing on bridges
rather than reactive,

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and this is one of the steps
that we're going forward.

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- [Narrator] For more information

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and to find the publication
for this project,

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please visit the TxDOT Research Library

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at the link shown below.