KEEPING ICE OFF RUNWAYS

TECHNIQUES FOR DEICING RUNWAYS WERE JOINTLY DEVELOPED BY THE U. S. AIR FORCE AND ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE. THE COMBINED USE OF ICE SCRAPERS AND CHEMICALS ARE RECOMMENDED. BASIC SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT CARRIERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH UNDERBODY ICE SCRAPERS FOR THIS PURPOSE. THE ICE IS SHAVED TO ABOUT 1/2 IN. AND THEN THE PRESSURE IS REDUCED FOR THE FINAL CUT. AFTER THE ICE SHAVING OPERATION IS COMPLETED, A ROTARY TOWED SNOW AIR BLAST SWEEPER REMOVES ALL THE RESIDUE TO PREVENT WASTE OF THE DEICING AGENT IN MELTING LOOSE ICE CHIPS. THE DEICING AGENT UREA IS THEN APPLIED TO THE REMAINING THIN LAYER OF ICE WHERE IT CAN FUNCTION IN A MINIMUM TIME, AT MINIMUM APPLICATION RATE, AND CONSEQUENTLY AT MINIMUM COST. UREA IS A NON-TOXIC, COMMONLY USED FERTILIZER. THE FERTILIZER GRADE IS FLAKY, READILY ABSORBS MOISTURE, AND SOLIDIFIES DURING STORAGE, SO THE PRILLED OR SHOTTED UREA USED FOR ICE CONTROL IS COATED WITH AN ANTI- CAKING COMPOUND. UREA IS EASILY SPREAD BY MOST CONVENTIONAL SPREADERS. IT IS EASY TO STORE AND HAS NO HARMFUL EFFECTS ON AIRCRAFT MATERIALS, PAVEMENTS OR VEGETATION. AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT REALIZED WITH THE USE OF UREA IS THAT IT PREVENTS ICE AND COMPACTED SNOW FROM BONDING TO PAVEMENTS. REMOVAL OF THE RESIDUE BY PLOWS AND SWEEPERS IS THEN POSSIBLE.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/10480594
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 38, No 1, P 73
• Authors:
  • Bonner, C M
• Publication Date: 1968-1

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Civil Engineering
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0885-7024
  • Serial URL: http://www.pubs.asce.org/ceonline/newce/html

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air; Airport runways; Bonding; Deicers (Equipment); Deicing; Excavating equipment; Fertilizers; Prevention; Snow removal; Snowplows; Spreaders; Sweepers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Deicers; Scrapers (Construction equipment)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Pavements; Security and Emergencies; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00218278
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 1 1994 12:00AM