PLOW CLEAN WITHOUT SCRAPING

SNOW IS MOST COMMONLY REMOVED FROM HIGHWAYS BY A PLOW MOUNTED AT AN ANGLE ON THE FRONT OF A HEAVY TRUCK. IF THE TRUCK MOVES FAST ENOUGH, THE SNOW IS THROWN WELL TO THE SIDE; OTHERWISE, IT IS PUSHED UP INTO A RIDGE. AT NIGHT A SHOWER OF SPARKS CAN OFTEN BE SEEN AS THE BLADE SCRAPES THE PAVEMENT. THIS WEARS THE BLADE AS WELL AS THE CONCRETE AND THE REFLECTIVE PAINT OF TRAFFIC STRIPES. WHERE IT DOES NOT CONTACT THE PAVEMENT, THE BLADE MAY LEAVE A HARD-PACKED SLIPPERY SKIN OF SNOW. SCRAPING CAN BE AVOIDED AND AT THE SAME TIME THE SNOW REMOVED COMPLETELY BY DIRECTING A THIN SHEET OF HIGH-VELOCITY AIR AT THE PAVEMENT FROM UNDER THE BLADE. THE AIR IS INTENDED NOT TO BLOW THE SNOW OFF THE ROAD BUT TO LIFT IT A FEW INCHES OFF THE SURFACE SO THAT THE PLOW CAN SHOVE IT OFF IN THE USUAL MANNER. COMPUTATIONS SHOW THAT A TURBOCOMPRESSOR WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR A FULL- SIZE INSTALLATION. NONE COULD BE OBTAINED FOR USE DURING THE PAST WINTER, THEREFORE SNOW-REMOVAL EFFICIENCY TESTS WERE MADE WITH A JET 6 IN. LONG. WET AND DRY SNOW COULD BE COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM PAVEMENT AND GRASSED AREAS, BUT NOT WET SNOW THAT HAD FROZEN TO THE PAVEMENT. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT FULL-SCALE DESIGNS SHOULD BE DEVELOPED AND TESTED. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr115/115-023.pdf
• Corporate Authors:

  Highway Research Board (HRB)

  Washington, DC   
• Authors:
  • Posey, C J
• Discussers:
  • Richardson, D L
  • Volz, M E
  • Minsk, David
  • Clary, A G
• Conference:
  • Symposium on Snow Removal and Ice Control Research
  • Location: Dartmouth New Hampshire, United States
  • Date: 1970-4-8 to 1970-4-10
• Publication Date: 1970

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 251-256
• Monograph Title: Snow removal and ice control research
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 115
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Pavements; Roadbuilding machinery; Snow removal; Snowplows; Trucks
• Old TRIS Terms: Scraping; Turbocompressors
• Subject Areas: Highways; Motor Carriers; Pavements; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00219412
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 8 1971 12:00AM