FIELD TRIALS OF PRE-WETTED SAND FOR WINTER MAINTENANCE

Sand is applied to provide traction on Ontario highways during winter when temperature or other conditions prohibit chemical and mechanical de-icing. Under some conditions, sand is blown off the road surface by traffic soon after it is applied, requiring repeated or continuous application. This study examines whether the retention of sand on the road surface can be increased through the use of a pre-wetting agent which is coated on the sand before it is applied to the road. The investigators evaluated the effectiveness of pre-wetting by comparing the deceleration rate of vehicles on highway surfaces where treated and untreated sand had been applied. This report presents the results of the study concerning the ability of pre-wetting to improve sand retention on an icy road surface.

• Corporate Authors:

  Ontario Ministry of Transportation

  Research and Development Branch, 1201 Wilson Avenue
  Downsview, Ontario  Canada  M3M 1J8
• Publication Date: 1995

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 44 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Field tests; Icy roads; Sand; Wetting; Winter maintenance
• Uncontrolled Terms: Prewetting
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00720941
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 13 1996 12:00AM