Defy Winter: A New Approach to Road Winter Damage Prevention
Winter conditions cause significant damage to asphalt roads. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles reduce the structural properties of asphalt mixtures causing development of ravelling and cracks, and leading to accelerated deterioration of the pavement. This in turn leads to significant expenditures on (ad hoc) road repairs and potentially entails consequent safety issues due to pothole formation. Recently, an additive for de-icing salt and/or brine was developed, which is based on biocompatible components. The mixture prevents hard ice formation and makes the ice slushy. This reduces mechanical stress on the pavement and lowers winter damage of the asphalt. The additive consists of bio-degradable ingredients and is available in Europe. This paper reports preliminary results of an extensive field experiment aimed at evaluating the impact of the additives on reducing ravelling development. Measurements were performed in collaboration with the national road authorities of the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden, and with the Austrian Land Tirol. Based on high-resolution photographic data obtained from testing 800 km of asphalt pavements, an independent engineering company and scientists have determined that sections treated with additives showed up to 50% less frost damage development while the additive concentration represents only 1% of the total de-icer amount spread. This could imply significant savings on the asphalt maintenance expenditures as well as an extension of the pavement lifetime.
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Supplemental Notes:
- This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AHD65 Winter Maintenance.
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Corporate Authors:
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC United States 20001 -
Authors:
- Stöckner, Ing M
- de Jong, E R
- Demmer, R L M
- Skakuj, M
- Balck, H
- Opara, Karol R
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Conference:
- Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting
- Location: Washington DC, United States
- Date: 2015-1-11 to 2015-1-15
- Date: 2015
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; Maps; Photos; References;
- Pagination: 15p
- Monograph Title: TRB 94th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Additives; Asphalt pavements; Deicing; Deicing chemicals; Evaluation; Field tests; Ice; Pavement distress; Stripping (Pavements); Winter maintenance
- Geographic Terms: Austria; Denmark; Netherlands; Sweden
- Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Pavements; I62: Winter Maintenance;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01552146
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: 15-4077
- Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
- Created Date: Jan 29 2015 1:57PM