Snow Removal at Extreme Temperatures

Extremely cold winter storms (below about 10°F) bring about different considerations for taking care of roads than warmer winter storms, where granular salt and salt brine are cost-effective measures of melting snow and ice when used in combination with other operations (e.g., plowing). At temperatures lower than about 10°F, either extremely large quantities of salt are needed or no amount of salt can melt snow or ice pack. Best practices for using chemicals during extremely cold winter storms include: waiting until the end of the storm, using deicers in daylight hours only, mixing salt with MgCl2, CaCl2, and/or agriculture by-products, and using high application rates. Despite their environmental and hidden costs (air pollution, sedimentation, spring cleanup & disposal), abrasives are frequently used during extreme temperatures to provide temporary traction. Best practices for using abrasives during severe cold includes prewetting with liquid deicers (although not plain salt brine - it may freeze) or hot water. Innovative strategies continue to be tested at severe temperatures, including conductive pavements and geothermal systems, which have demonstrated to be potentially effective tools.

• Record URL:
  http://clearroads.org/download/final-report-6/
• 
• Summary URL:
  http://clearroads.org/project/11-04/
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This report was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Western Transportation Institute

  Montana State University
  P.O. Box 174250
  Bozeman, MT  United States  59717-4250

  Minnesota Department of Transportation

  Transportation Building, 395 John Ireland Boulevard
  St Paul, MN  United States  55155

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Akin, Michelle
  • Huang, Jiang
  • Shi, Xianming
  • Veneziano, David
  • Williams, Dan
• Publication Date: 2013-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 80p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Best practices; Deicing chemicals; Frigid regions; Low temperature; Snow and ice control; Snow removal; Snowstorms; Winter maintenance
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I62: Winter Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01481619
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Project 99085/CR11-04, Pooled Fund #TPF-5(218)
• Files: UTC, TRIS, RITA, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: May 16 2013 3:02PM