NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN WINTER MAINTENANCE

THE SALT INDUSTRY HAS DEVELOPED WHAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE AN IDEAL BLEND OF SALT FOR ROAD DEICING, I.E. A BLEND OF COARSE PARTICLES FOR BORING ACTION THROUGH ICE TO PAVEMENT BELOW AND SUFFICIENT FINE SALT TO PROVIDE INSTANT TRACTION AND RAPID MELTING ACTION. THE MATERIAL IS 75% COARSE-CRUSHED ROCK SALT AND 25% FINE; BOTH THE COARSE-CRUSHED AND THE BLEND MEET ASTM SPECIFICATIONS. A SUMMARY OF TESTS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE BLEND IS PRESENTED. FIELD TESTS WERE CONDUCTED AT STEVENS POINT, WISCONSIN; GENESEE COUNTY, NEW YORK; CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; AND CINCINNATI, OHIO; TESTS WERE ALSO CONDUCTED BY THE STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENTS OF KENTUCKY, MINNESOTA AND OHIO. THE DEMONSTRATIONS HAVE SHOWN THAT THE HIGHWAY TEST SALT PROVIDES TRACTION EQUIVALENT TO SAND OR CINDERS AND THAT IT COSTS 1/3 THAT OF ABRASIVES. LABORATORY TESTS, USING AN ANTI-SKID DYNAMOMETER TO MEASURE THE CO- EFFICIENT OF FRICTION, SHOWED THAT AT LOW TEMPERATURES SAND HAD LITTLE EFFECT OVER GLARE ICE AND THAT CINDERS WERE ONLY SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN SAND. AT AN AIR TEMPERATURE OF 25 DEGREES F, THE COEFFICIENT FOR COARSE-CRUSHED ROCK SALT IMMEDIATELY AFTER APPLICATION WAS GREATER THAN THAT FOR EITHER SAND OR CINDERS. AT 15 DEGREES F, THE INITIAL COEFFICIENT WAS GREATER THAN SAND BUT LESS THAN CINDERS. THE SALT BLEND PRODUCES A HIGHER COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION THAN COARSE-CRUSHED ROCKS SALT ALONE. FURTHER FIELD TESTS ARE BEING CONDUCTED TO COMPARE THE BLEND WITH COARSE-CRUSHED GRADE. HOWEVER, THE NEW MATERIAL IS REGARDED AS WELL SUITED TO PRESENT WINTER MAINTENANCE NEEDS.

• Authors:
  • Dickinson, W E
• Publication Date: 1969-10

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Intl Bridge Tunnel & Turnpike Assoc

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abrasives; Coarse grained materials; Coefficient of friction; Deicers (Equipment); Deicing; Dynamometers; Fineness; Halite; Ice; Mixtures; Salts; Sand; Slag; Snow and ice control
• Uncontrolled Terms: Deicers
• Old TRIS Terms: Coarse materials
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00218586
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: pp 24-27
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 13 1970 12:00AM