DEICING SALTS, THEIR USE AND EFFECTS

The use of deicing salt in the United States reached an all time high of 9.6 million tons for the winter of 1970-71. Despite the concern of environmentalists, the use of deicing salts is increasing because of the public demand and need of bare pavements for rapid travel and safe highways during the winter. Economic losses to individuals and businesses could amount to billions of dollars per year if there were an inability to move traffic during the winter season. Alternatives to the use of sodium or calcium chloride include potassium chloride, aluminum chloride, lithium chloride, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, urea, urea-calcium formate, alcohols, and the use of heated pavements. Investigation of these alternatives revealed that they were not feasible for various reasons, including safety, performance, and costs. Further investigation of deicing salts revealed the corrosion of motor vehicles may be in direct proportion to the amount of deicing salt used, and that underground installations may undergo accelerated corrosion from salt brine seepage through the soil and through structural openings. The treatment of deicing salts with corrosion inhibitors was found to be ineffective, but other preventive measures are suggested for the control of automobile and underground corrosion.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00941492
• Corporate Authors:

  National Association of Corrosion Engineers

  P.O. Box 1499
  Houston, TX  United States  77001
• Publication Date: 1975-4

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 9-14
• Serial:
  • Materials Performance (MP)
  • Volume: 14
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: National Association of Corrosion Engineers
  • ISSN: 0094-1492
  • Serial URL: http://www.nace.org/Publications/Materials-Performance/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcohols; Automobiles; Calcium chloride; Corrosion; Corrosion protection; Costs; Deicing chemicals; Deicing equipment; Economics; Heating (Structures); Performance; Safety; Salts; Snow and ice control; Sodium chloride; Underground structures
• Uncontrolled Terms: Deicers
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Economics; Finance; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00096208
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 2 1975 12:00AM