Comparison of Material Distribution Systems for Winter Maintenance - Phase I

Departments of Transportation (DOTs) are constantly challenged to maintain safe, passable roadways through the winter season. Winter weather provides a variety of unique conditions that require specific and varying treatments in order to attain the desired results. They must provide a necessary level of service (distribute snow and ice removal chemicals) to keep the roadways as safe as possible for the motoring public. A significant cost in the process of spreading material is the cost of the material itself. This coupled with the growing environmental concerns with these chemicals finding their way into sensitive ecosystems makes using snow and ice removal chemicals efficiently and effectively a very important subject. This study seeks to make the information and practices of state and local DOTs regarding material distribution systems available to as wide an audience as possible. The goal of this project is to identify as many solid material distribution systems as possible and develop a plan for field testing them. The study included systems with prewetting capabilities, but did not include equipment for slurries or direct liquid applications. There are two phases to this project, this report documents Phase I and prepares Clear Roads to enter Phase II. Phase I focused on identifying and cataloging these systems, as well as developing a field test plan and recommendations.

• Record URL:
  http://clearroads.org/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/Comparison-of-Material-Spreaders-Final-Report.pdf
• 
• Summary URL:
  http://clearroads.org/project/12-05/
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Date on cover and transmittal letter is December 8, 2014. Date on running header throughout report is June 2014.
• Corporate Authors:

  Thompson Engineering Company

  3830 Rustic Place
  St Paul, MN  United States  55126

  Minnesota Department of Transportation

  Clear Roads Pooled Fund
  St Paul, MN  United States  55155
• Publication Date: 2014-12-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 77p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Deicing chemicals; Environmental protection; Highway maintenance; Literature reviews; Maintenance equipment; Maintenance management; Maintenance practices; Spreaders; Surveys
• Identifier Terms: Clear Roads Winter Highway Operations Pooled Fund
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01640753
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: CR 12-05
• Contract Numbers: 01531; Project CR12-05; Pooled Fund TPF-5(218)
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 6 2017 11:30AM