From Geospatial Assessment to Road Thermal Management: A Digital Framework for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Using Low-Enthalpy Geothermal Energy

Abstract

[EN] Extreme weather events increasingly affect the safety, durability, and operational performance of road infrastructure, creating the need for sustainable thermal management solutions. Among the available technologies, low-enthalpy geothermal systems offer significant advantages by providing continuous heating and cooling capabilities with reduced environmental impact compared to conventional maintenance practices. This study presents the methodology developed within the GEO-ROAD project to assess shallow geothermal resources across Spain and support the future deployment of geothermal road systems. The proposed framework integrates geological, thermal, and satellite-derived geophysical information through a unified GIS-based workflow, combining multivariate statistical analysis, map algebra, and automated geospatial processing to generate a regional geothermal potential model. In addition to conventional geological characterization, the methodology incorporates magnetic and gravity data from satellite missions, airborne surveys, and ground-based observations to improve the spatial representation of subsurface conditions. The resulting geothermal potential assessment constitutes a key component of the GEO-ROAD digital platform, where it will be combined with climatic risk maps and road infrastructure information to identify the most suitable locations for geothermal applications. By linking geothermal resource assessment with infrastructure-oriented decision-making, the proposed methodology provides a scalable and transferable framework for supporting the planning of sustainable and climate-resilient road thermal management systems.