EVALUATION OF URETHANE SNOW PLOW BLADES AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO RUBBER BLADES. FINAL REPORT

The purpose of this study was to determine if urethane blades are a suitable alternative to rubber blades for use on snow plows. The importance of finding a suitable alternative is due to the anticipated increased need to protect the new, longer lasting, and expensive preformed tape now being introduced as pavement markings in Virginia. Two sites were selected to test urethane blades, and six sites were selected to test rubber blades. The study reviewed the cost and quality of snow removal for each type of blade. The study found that urethane blades cleaned the roadway surface better than rubber blades but were subject to the same problem of low durability. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) uses a plowing method that places the full weight of the plow on the blade. This method results in high friction between the blade and the road surface, which causes the blades to wear quickly. The rapid disintegration of the blades within a single snow event makes a life-cycle cost a moot point. Limited data, however, indicated that the life-cycle cost of urethane blades was 6.5 times greater than that of rubber blades. Many airports extend the blade life of urethane blades on their plows by removing the weight of the plow from the blade through the installation of wheels on the plow. Since the conditions under which VDOT currently uses rubber blades is similar to airport conditions, the study recommends that VDOT plows be modified to take the plow's weight off the blade and that urethane blades be substituted for rubber blades. The study was unable to determine if the use of wheel-supported plows equipped with urethane blades would sharply reduce damage to pavement markings. The study recommends that an additional study be conducted in the coming winter season to determine the effect of properly supported urethane blades on pavement markings and the suitability of urethane blades for snow removal under a wider range of conditions.

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• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/19391
• Corporate Authors:

  Virginia Transportation Research Council

  530 Edgemont Road
  Charlottesville, VA  United States  22903

  Virginia Department of Transportation

  1401 East Broad Street
  Richmond, VA  United States  23219

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Roosevelt, D S
• Publication Date: 1995-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; References;
• Pagination: 30 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Blades (Machinery); Durability; Equipment; Field tests; Life cycle costing; Loss and damage; Performance evaluations; Road markings; Rubber; Snow removal; Snowplows; Urethane; Wear
• Uncontrolled Terms: Damages
• Old TRIS Terms: Equipment modifications
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Vehicles and Equipment; I62: Winter Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00711755
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/VA-96-R2, VTRC 96-R2, Proj No. 3067
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Sep 15 1995 12:00AM