Culture
How Electric Concrete Could Make Shoveling Snow a Thing of the Past
A new type of conductive concrete uses electrical currents to instantly de-ice roads during winter storms.
As much as 42 inches of snow covered the ground last week after a historic blizzard slammed the East Coast. Days later, cities are still working to clear roadways and sidewalks.
Chris Tuan, a civil engineer at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, thinks there’s a better way to manage this huge task. With funding from the Federal Aviation Administration, he’s come up with a formula for making conductive concrete, which can carry enough electrical current to melt snow in even the worst storms.