Unless provisions are made for expansion and contraction, heating elements and assemblies for fixed outdoor deicing systems shall not be installed where?

Heating elements and assemblies for fixed outdoor deicing systems must be installed with consideration for thermal expansion and contraction. This is particularly important where materials may be subjected to stress or movement due to temperature changes. Bridge expansion joints are designed to allow for this movement and can flex or shift as temperatures fluctuate. If heating elements are installed in these areas without appropriate provisions for expansion and contraction, they may become damaged or ineffective as the bridge moves. Therefore, placing these systems at bridge expansion joints would be inappropriate without taking specific measures to accommodate the movement of the structure.