Engineering Project Report: Solar Panel Roadway Construction

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of a solar panel roadway project, focusing on its design, feasibility, and ethical implications. The introduction highlights the increasing need for sustainable engineering solutions and the role of professional engineers in addressing carbon footprint concerns. The project details include a description of the solar roadway, its components (base layer, recycle material, support structures, LED, and glass surface), and its objectives, such as evaluating energy production and surveying optimal locations. A feasibility study, including cost and time estimates ($130,000 and 6 months) and an IRR calculation (9.03%), is presented to justify the project's commercial and social viability. The report also examines the influence of legislation and ethics on the decision-making process, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations in project management. Project evidence and outcomes are illustrated through a work breakdown structure (WBS), detailing project activities, durations, and resource allocation. Alternative methods for project monitoring are also discussed. The report further analyzes the solar roadway's structural design requirements and the arrangement of its layers, including the base, optical, and transparent layers. The report concludes with a critical analysis of the project, emphasizing the use of solar energy as a renewable resource and its environmental and economic benefits. The project's feasibility, eco-friendliness, and potential to reduce accidents are highlighted, along with a comparison of the solar roadway to traditional asphalt roads.

Running head: ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Engineering Project Management: Solar Panel Roadway
Name of the Student;
Name of the University:

1ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGEMENT
1. Introduction
In the last century with changing time period is identified that emission of carbon
footprint is increasing rapidly which requires immediate action. If proper precautions and actions
are taken then effective results will be generated. Regardless of nature, type and size of
engineering projects major engineering providers are planning to expand as a professional
engineer for playing significant role in an engineering sustainable project (Mehta, Aggrawal and
Tiwari 2015). This report depicts the roles, functions and actions that are needed to be taken by
any professional while conducting a solar panel roadway construction project.
During design and execution of this project, the way how sustainable design,
development principles and practical applications are combined together is elaborated in this
report. Details project plan along with a feasibility study, legislation and ethics on decision
making process are also illustrated in this report. In addition to appropriate project plan an
alternative project monitoring method is also illustrated in this report.
Justification for selection
According to given engineering project theme, sustainability engineering project is
referred to as a process used in designing, operating and system maintenance. Sustainable
engineering projects use only renewable resources during design and implementation of any
project. Different challenges and opportunities are associated to engineering sustainable projects
(Hnatov et al.2018). It is recognized that, sustainable engineering projects can maximize both
social and environmental impacts. In order to reduce the emission of carbon footprint most the
countries have started using renewable resources. The solar roadway construction project uses

2ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGEMENT
solar panel in their basic layer to store solar energy and further it is converted in electrical energy
a source that helps to lightening the roadside buildings and street lights as well.
2. Project details
2.1 Project description
With the trend towards reduction of carbon footprint in the regular activities, the design
and construction of a solar roadway is a successful one. In the recent years many countries have
started constructing solar roadways using solar renewable energy sources. Solar photovoltaic
technology is day by day becoming efficient, effective and cheaper than the asphalt. Though, it is
not a good replacement for the asphalt (Qin et al.2017). For this particular report solar roadway
construction project is chosen because it is an appropriate example of sustainable engineering
which explains accurate and effective usage of renewable energy resource.
The solar panel roadway is comprises of base layer, recycle material, support structures
and LED and glass surface. Hexagon solar road panel is used to complete the roadway structure.
After placing the support layer actual solar cells should be used in the construction work (Rais et
al.2017). It has been determined that if proper measures are taken y the project developers and
the other associates then the construction will be successful and effective as well. The objectives
of the project are to evaluate the energy production of solar roadways solar panel and
alternatives, survey optimal locations for each technology in terms of the public awareness and
solar panels (Abaid et al.2018). It is required to be accomplished after analyzing the
disadvantages and downfalls of solar roadways. Although alternative solutions are also needed to
be considered by the project associates that the project is feasible from the business and
technology perspectives.

3ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGEMENT
2.2 Feasibility study to justify the selected project
The total cost and time that has been respectively estimated for the successful
implementation of the solar panel roadway are $1, 30,000 and 6 months. An IRR is calculated in
the below section which implies that the project is feasible for the commercial growth and social
success as well.
Year Cash Flow
1 $15,000
2 $12,000
3 $10,000
4 $16,000
5 $10,000
6 $11,000
7 $22,000
8 $45,000
NPV $14,762.3
4
=NPV(8%,C32:C39)-80000
IRR
Year Cash Flow
0 -$80,000
1 $5,000
2 $16,000

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3 $15,000
4 $20,000
5 $12,000
6 $15,000
7 $22,000
8 $15,000
IRR 9.03% =IRR(C49:C57)
2.3 Illustrating the effect of legislation and ethics on the decision making process in
developing the project plan
It has been determined that during the design and development of any project, legislation
and ethics play effective roles. Decision making process can cause challenges to the project
managers and other associates. In order to resolve different ethical dilemma ethics and
legislations plays effectives roles (Shekhar et al.2018). The rate of threats and risks can also be
successfully resolved if proper ethical and legislative actions are taken by the authority.
In order to facilitate any sort of accurate decision making proper application of both
technical and non technical aspects are very essential. For facilitating the project all associated
features are needed to be identified and organized appropriately. Effective decision making will
help the owners to gain commercial profit and social profits as well. Ethics deal with different
approaches, principle or sources (Renoald et al.2016). Though, no specific approach is available
but still there are certain specific aspects those should be considered during the project execution

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and it includes moral rights, cost benefits, virtue, contextualist, theological, principle based,
deontology etc.
3. Project evidence or outcomes
3.1 Conducting project activities recording progress against original project plan
WBS Task Name Duration Start Finish Resource Names Cost
0
Schedule for Solar
roadway design and
development
119 days Mon
7/15/19
Thu
12/26/19 $129,672.00
1 Initiation phase 14 days Mon
7/15/19
Thu
8/1/19 $6,840.00
1.1 location survey 3 days Mon
7/15/19
Wed
7/17/19 project manager $960.00
1.2 Arranging meeting 5 days Thu
7/18/19
Wed
7/24/19 project manager $1,600.00
1.3 Government
permission 6 days Thu
7/18/19
Thu
7/25/19
Contractor, sub
contractor $2,880.00
1.4 Permission from
sponsors 5 days Fri
7/26/19
Thu
8/1/19 Contractor $1,400.00
2 Planning phase 29 days Fri
8/2/19
Wed
9/11/19 $10,520.00
2.1
Technical
requirement
identification and
gathering
29 days Fri
8/2/19
Wed
9/11/19 $10,520.00
2.1.1 Installing
photovoltaic cell 10 days Fri 8/2/19 Thu
8/15/19
electrical engineer,
technician $3,600.00
2.1.2 Installing heating
elements 5 days Fri
8/16/19
Thu
8/22/19
sub contractor,
technical expert $1,800.00
2.1.3 Installing data
signal transmitter 6 days Fri
8/23/19
Fri
8/30/19
architect, technical
expert $1,920.00
2.1.4 Installation of
microprocessor 8 days Mon
9/2/19
Wed
9/11/19
civil engineer,
technical expert $3,200.00
3
Design and
components installation
phase
65 days Thu
9/12/19
Wed
12/11/19 $107,832.00
3.1 Mounting of system 5 days Thu
9/12/19
Wed
9/18/19 labours ,technician $2,200.00

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3.2
Appropriate
inspection over the
system and components
6 days Thu
9/12/19
Thu
9/19/19
architect, civil
engineer $2,400.00
3.3 Technical and non
technical inspection 8 days Fri
9/20/19
Tue
10/1/19
architect, resource
planner $2,432.00
3.4 Physical inspection 10 days Wed
10/2/19
Tue
10/15/19 resource planner $1,440.00
3.5 Design roads 41 days Wed
10/16/19
Wed
12/11/19 $99,360.00
3.5.1 Design of base
layer 12 days Wed
10/16/19
Thu
10/31/19
technical expert,
technician, base
layer design cost[1]
$43,360.00
3.5.2 Design of optical
layer 12 days Fri
11/1/19
Mon
11/18/19
technical
expert ,optical layer
design cost[1]
$51,920.00
3.5.3 Installing LEDs 12 days Tue
11/19/19
Wed
12/4/19 electrical engineer $2,880.00
3.5.4 Design of the glass
surface 5 days Thu
12/5/19
Wed
12/11/19 civil engineer $1,200.00
4 Project closure phase 11 days Thu
12/12/19
Thu
12/26/19 $4,480.00
4.1 Stakeholder’s signoff 5 days Thu
12/12/19
Wed
12/18/19 project manager $1,600.00
4.2 Post project
maintenance program 6 days Thu
12/19/19
Thu
12/26/19
Contractor, sub
contractor $2,880.00
3.2 Alternative methods for monitoring
For monitoring the project the process or steps those are to be successfully followed
include:
 Taking proper actions to control the project
 Measuring the performance with the completion of each step
 Determining variance
 Influencing factors those are causing changes
 Request for respective changes

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 Performing integrated change control measures
3.3 Critical evaluation of the project success plan
The viability of solar roads in different countries is checked. The requirements for the
structural design of the solar roadway are elaborated in the below section:
 The structure should support cyclic load distribution from the vehicle tires
without failing to deformation, fracture and other measures. It has been expected
that, 480 kpa is a design level stress requirement from those tires contracting the
panel.
 The transparent layer could not deflect over all the cell compartments to ensure
that the layer transmit load to the solar cell (Hossain and Dessouky 2019).
 Apart from that, the structure needs to be complete rust resistant to slat as well as
other potential contaminants.
 The design requires to be modular and facilitate easy process of maintenance
 In order to accommodate construction, testing and other measuring units the
design panel is required to have sufficient thickness and side length as well
(Vidyanandan 2017).
 For the prototype, panel should be designed with available materials and
components
 The other requirement which is necessary for the project includes proper
interconnection between all the photovoltaic cells.

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Figure 1: Solar panel design structure (PV)
(Source: Hnatov et al.2018, pp.90)
3.4 Project report analysis
The solar roads are comprises of LEDs, accumulator, cells and solar panels to store and
convert solar energy into the electrical energy. The solar panel is placed on top of the roadway so
that it can easily and directly absorb solar power from the source. The power that has been
converted to the electrical energy gets stored within the accumulator (Kabir, et al.2018). While
required the converted electrical energy is used in terms of light energy and controlled through
photoelectric switches. The LEDs are used to guide the drivers to direct towards path. Not only
this but also the light energy is also used to lightening the street lights and the roadside buildings
as well.
Based on the installation positions the solar roadways can be divided into two different
types such as embedded type and raised type. The previous is used in the centre line and on the
other hand letter is commonly installed in the edge lines. The solar road that is positioned in the

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center section has excessive pressure resistance requirements. For resolving this issue the solar
road needs to be covered inside the ground with a 5 mm left from the ground level (Dhoke et
al.2017). On the other hand the pavement can be damaged with the embedded type solar road.
3.5 Analyzing project outcomes
The solar panel roadway is an engineering design structure that is comprises of three to
four layers and all these layers are properly arranged followed by base layer, optical layer and
transparent layer. The base layer and optical layer help to form up the structure of the roadway.
The solar light is absorbed by the solar panel installed inside the optical layer (Fernandez et
al.2019). The installed accumulator helps to store converted electric energy. This energy is
further used for lightening up the street lights and roadside lights to direct the drivers and the
roadside buildings as well. The electric power grid helps to store the additional electric energy
to use those to fulfill future purposes.
3.6 Critical project analysis
The solar roadway uses solar panel for absorbing solar energy and converts that into the
electrical energy (Huang 2016). In other words, solar roadway is a road surface which generates
electricity with solar power using the solar panels, LED signage and photovoltaic cells as well.
Solar energy is a renewable resource which is one of the most rapidly using and growing
resource for electric power generation. The price hike of petroleum products can be avoided with
the use of the solar power energy instead of renewable resources (Yoomak et al.2019). Apart
from this it is also analyzed that solar power energy puts limited rate of impact in the
environment and thus it is quite eco friendly in nature from the socio environmental perspectives
or solar roadway is feasible, eco friendly and also reduces 70% of accidents.

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It has been analyzed that, solar roadway is a collection or series of structurally engineered
solar panel those are driven upon. The idea and construction structure of a solar roadway can
replace the petroleum based asphalt road, driveways, by solar panels which can collect and store
energy while required (Subramanian 2015). The renewable energy resource also replace the
requirement of non renewable resources that cuts the excessive emission of greenhouse gas
which means that it is much effective for sustainable growth and improvement. Not only this but
also, it can store excessive electricity in the owner grid and use that while required.
According to Lazarev et al.(2017) the advantage of solar roadway includes different
advantages in terms of military and rescue assistance, renewability and life span. If solar power
is used in the construction of roadway then various environmental benefits can be generated. Use
of solar energy does not result emission of green house gases and global warming. The roadway
is comprises of four layers in terms of road surface layer, electronic layer, base plate layer and
grid (Channi 2019). The solar energy that is converted into the electric energy is stored in the
grid and used while required by the roadside buildings and street lights as well.
The photovoltaic cell has some compartments in terms of transparent layer, optical layer,
base layer. The optical layer and the base layer are collectively called the structured layer. The
structural design requirements of solar roadway are structured to support the cyclic distribution
load from vehicle tires without failing fracture and deformation as well. the transparent layer can
never deflect over these cell compartments to ensure that the layer can transmit the load to the
photo voltaic solar cell (Rajab et al.2017). It is useful for energy consumption and sustainability
as well. Solar roadway is referred to an effective and innovative idea that helps to take solar
panel technology in roadway construction. However, before successful implementation of this
project details research and analysis on the idea are essential. In order to promote sustainable

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thinking, ideas and improve the existing environmental situation most the recent construction
works are undertaking renewable energy resources.
4. Conclusion and expected outcomes
From the overall discussion it can be concluded that, solar roadway provides a smart
driveway to the future. The roadway buildings and the street light can glow with the help of the
solar energy absorbed by the solar panel. The driving process becomes safer, easier and faster
that will also benefit the society. Most of the driveways spend huge time in the roadways during
the daylight which offers greatest profit of the solar paved driveway. The electricity generated is
dependent on different factors such as geographic location, shading, driveway orientation etc.
Apart from this the presence of vehicles on the drive can also block the sunlight however most of
the cars are not kept at home during the daylight. In other words, then it can be said that the solar
drive way can generate huge amount of electricity. The excess electricity can also be stored and
use in the power grid. This process is advantageous than the traditional electricity generation
process. Virtually it does not require any additional maintenance cost as well. In this approach or
idea no external dependency is required. In winter and cloudy weather the generation of
electricity gets negatively impacted. During some of the power generation it is also dependent on
the geographical location of the roadways. It has been determined that of proper technology and
other measures are successfully taken by the project associates then the designer and the
developers would be able to achieve measurable profits and commercial benefits as well. It is the
roles of the project supervisor and the project team associates to adopt proper measures during
the implementation period.