Electric cable heating (ECH) system is a promising pavement snow-melting technology. However, the long-term operation of such systems entails considerable energy consumption, and results in energy waste and high economic cost. Relevant studies lack design strategies that simultaneously ensure optimal energy conservation, snow-melting performance, and mechanical performance of ECH systems. Moreover, the long-term performance of this pavement remains to be verified. Therefore, this study investigated comprehensive energy conservation design strategies for ECH systems. The effects of various parameters on an ECH system's snow-melting, energy consumption, and mechanical response were investigated using the finite element method. On the basis of the simulation results, a recommended design strategy was proposed which can conserve energy and ensure the system's snow-melting function and long-term structural safety. With this strategy, an ECH system was designed and constructed. The calculation results demonstrate that this strategy can reduce energy waste significantly while ensuring the snow-melting function. Moreover, in a field experiment, a one-third scale model mobile load simulator was adopted. After continuous loading 400,000 times, the average rutting depths of all test sections were less than 3 mm, which verified the long-term mechanical performance of the ECH system designed using the developed strategy.

电缆加热（ECH）系统是一种很有前途的路面融雪技术。然而，这种系统的长期运行需要大量的能源消耗，造成能源浪费和高昂的经济成本。相关研究缺乏同时确保 ECH 系统最佳节能、融雪性能和机械性能的设计策略。此外，该路面的长期性能还有待验证。因此，本研究调查了 ECH 系统的综合节能设计策略。使用有限元方法研究了各种参数对 ECH 系统融雪、能耗和机械响应的影响。根据模拟结果，提出了一种推荐的设计策略，既可以节约能源，又可以确保系统的融雪功能和长期的结构安全。使用这种策略，设计并构建了一个 ECH 系统。计算结果表明，该策略可以在保证融雪功能的同时显着减少能源浪费。此外，在现场实验中，采用了三分之一比例模型移动负载模拟器。连续加载40万次后，所有试验断面平均车辙深度均小于3 mm，验证了采用所开发策略设计的ECH系统的长期力学性能。计算结果表明，该策略可以在保证融雪功能的同时显着减少能源浪费。此外，在现场实验中，采用了三分之一比例模型移动负载模拟器。连续加载40万次后，所有试验断面平均车辙深度均小于3 mm，验证了采用所开发策略设计的ECH系统的长期力学性能。计算结果表明，该策略可以在保证融雪功能的同时显着减少能源浪费。此外，在现场实验中，采用了三分之一比例模型移动负载模拟器。连续加载40万次后，所有试验断面平均车辙深度均小于3 mm，验证了采用所开发策略设计的ECH系统的长期力学性能。