Research of Snow Melting Materials Performance Efficiency for Road Winter Maintenance
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TRANSPORT ISSN 1648-4142 / eISSN 1648-3480 2016 Volume 31(3): 322–332 doi:10.3846/16484142.2016.1211551 RESEARCH OF SNOW MELTING MATERIALS PERFORMANCE EFFICIENCY FOR ROAD WINTER MAINTENANCE Alfredas Laurinavičius1, Donatas Čygas2, Audrius Vaitkus3, Tomas Ratkevičius4, Matas Bulevičius5, Darjušas Mučinis6, Andrius Baltrušaitis7 1–4Dept of Roads, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania 5–7JSC ‘Problematika’, Vilnius, Lithuania Submitted 3 July 2015; resubmitted 25 March 2016; accepted 5 June 2016 Abstract. In 2012, the Lithuanian Road Administration initiated a three-year research project ‘The study of effective winter road maintenance of national significance roads in Lithuania’. The main purpose of this research was to optimize road maintenance in winter and to determine the most effective means of combating slippery conditions. The research project was carried out by two institutions: the Road Research Institute of the Faculty of Environmental Engineering of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and JSC ‘Problematika’. JSC ‘Problematika’ conducted exploratory experi- ments, which were divided into two phases. In the first phase of the experiment, five different snow melting materials (Slipperiness Reducing Materials – SRMs) were investigated in the laboratory. Different test methods were used in this investigation. In the second phase of the experiment, three SRMs with different properties were selected, and experi- mental road sections were set up to determine the road slipperiness and the change in coating layer thickness over time concerning different environmental conditions, as well as different snow and ice layer thicknesses. An optical remote sensor of Road Condition Monitor (RCM 411) was used for friction measurements on the roads. This report covers the laboratory test results of five different SRMs, road slipperiness measurement results using three selected SRMs and their analysis, comparison of the performance efficiency of the most widely used SRMs in Lithuania and the tested SRMs under different environmental conditions. Keywords: friction; snow melting materials; road condition monitor; slipperiness. Introduction field performance due to varying temperatures, wind, traffic, etc. (Muthumani et al. 2014; Akin, Shi 2012). In The most significant action in winter road management this context, laboratory and field experiments need to be is to remove snow and ice from the road surface more efficiently and rapidly. In cold and snowy regions, salt- carefully designed to encompass all relevant variables so ing is the primary measure against icy road surfaces and that better correlations can be developed. an important measure to secure safe and smooth winter Several test methods are standardized by various road traffic (Zofka et al. 2014). However, the excess use consortiums, such as ASTM International, American of chloride deicer can cause soil and water pollution, Association of State and Highway Transportation Offi- corrosion of concrete structures, and spalling of concrete cials (AASHTO), Strategic Highway Research Program pavement. Based on the increasing requirements in the (SHRP), among other. field of traffic safety, environmental protection and ecol- Three types of test methods or SRMs performance ogy, it is necessary to search for the most effective and were created: The SHRP Ice Melting Test (H-205.1 and less damaging measures to ensure road maintenance in H-205.2), the SHRP Ice Penetration Tests (H-205.3 winter (Ružinskas et al. 2016; Kazlauskienė et al. 2013; and H-205.4) and the third is the SHRP Ice Undercut- Craver et al. 2008; Strong, Shi 2008; Ye et al. 2009). ting Test (H-205.5 and H-205.6). Additional details are Numerous laboratory and field studies have been available in the Handbook of Test Methods for Evaluating conducted to evaluate the performance of Snow Melting Chemical Deicers (Chappelow et al. 1992; Muthumani Materials (Slipperiness Reducing Materials – SRMs) and et al. 2014). the resulting friction coefficient of treated pavement. Standardized test methods were identified as well However, laboratory results often do not translate to the as laboratory methods developed for individual research Corresponding author: Tomas Ratkevičius E-mail: [email protected] Copyright © 2016 Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) Press http://www.tandfonline.com/TRAN Transport, 2016, 31(3): 322–332 323 projects. Mauritis et al. (1995) developed a laboratory Every year, considerable quantities of snow and ice test of ice undercutting that could be used to screen the melting materials are applied to roads. Environmen- effectiveness of solid SRMs. This test is different from tal and regulatory agencies have questioned the envi- the SHRP tests in that the test utilizes Pyrex test tubes ronmental effects of these products (Blomqvist 2001). and does not incorporate dye. Instead, ice undercutting Maintenance agencies are continually challenged to is detected by the break in an electrical circuit caused improve safety and mobility of winter roads in a cost- by a wire detaching from the test tube coinciding with effective manner while minimizing corrosion and other deicer penetration and undercutting. adverse effects to the environment (Ružinskas et al. However, the scientific literature provides many 2016; Kazlauskienė et al. 2013). other tests that have been developed for specific re- Transportation agencies are asked to use ‘environ- search projects, some of which resemble the standard- mentally friendly’ or less toxic alternatives wherever ized SHRP tests while others are more unique (Chap- possible, but there is no commonly accepted guidance pelow et al. 1993). for determining which products meet these criteria. The literature review identified many possible test Studies of the most common chemical alterna- methods for SRMs performance that could be used to tives – sodium chloride (salt, NaCl), magnesium chlo- screen potential deicer products and blends. Some of the ride (MgCl2), calcium chloride (CaCl2), a mixture of test methods seem to be more widely used, while others sodium and calcium modified chlorides (NCMC), and a have inherent limitations. A comparison of SRMs in a mixture of sodium acetate and sodium formate (SASF) – laboratory setting is only helpful if field applications of have focused on performance and cost under various the same SRMs results in similar trends of effectiveness. weather conditions without evaluating their relative ef- Given that the focus of this project was to develop labo- fects on the environment. Several new chemical prepara- ratory test methods that could be used to screen poten- tions, including some that are proprietary formulations, tial deicing products and blends, and the desire for rela- have entered the market as snow and ice control chemi- tively simple and straightforward test methods, a more cals for use by transportation agencies, but there is lim- realistic laboratory method that incorporates pertinent ited information about their efficiency under different field parameters is highly recommended Muthumani conditions (environment, weather, surface temperature, et al. 2014). traffic volume). The purpose of this research paper is to present a The aim of the research paper is to study the ef- series of specification testing procedures that will allow ficiency of five different SRMs under different condi- different SRMs to be compared for effectiveness and ef- tions (environment, weather, surface temperature, traffic ficiency to considering in Lithuanian climate and traffic volume) and depending on the thickness of snow and conditions. ice layer. Tests were conducted in a laboratory (Cuelho, Har- wood 2012; Xu, Tan 2012; Abel’hanova, Borisyuk 2012) Table 1. Friction coefficients and car accident rate – personal and in the field to study five different SRMs: sodium injuries per million vehicle kilometres chloride (NaCl), calcium chloride (CaCl2), magnesium (Wallman, Åström 2001) chloride (MgCl ), a mixture of sodium and calcium 2 Accident rate Friction coefficient modified chlorides (hereafter referred to as NCMC), and a mixture of sodium acetate and sodium formate 0.80 <0.15 (SASF). Test results were obtained for the ice mass losses 0.55 0.15–0.24 and efficiency of SRMs. Then, the results were analysed, 0.25 0.25–0.34 and three SRMs were selected. Tested road sections were 0.20 0.35–0.44 constructed to perform measurements of the change in road slipperiness using a mobile optical sensor called 0.14–0.18 >45 Road Condition Monitor RCM 411 (road friction meas- uring device). 2. Tests 2.1. Laboratory Tests on the Efficiency 1. Problem Formulation and Objectives of SRMs and the Loss of Ice Mass The friction between pavement surface and a tyre is a Laboratory tests were carried out by two different test major factor in traffic safety. On a slippery road, low methods in accordance with test methods developed by friction can lead to a fatal car accident. Accident rates the State Road Testing Laboratory of JSC ‘Problemati- for different friction intervals were assessed and dis- ka’: tests on the ice mass loss and the efficiency of SRM. played in Table 1 (Wallman, Åström 2001). Tests were conducted with test samples (ice) under dif- When spreading the deicer on the road surface, ferent constant temperatures –20, –15, –9, –6, –3 °C), snow and ice change into liquid state due to solubility and measurements were taken by applying SRM on the and dropping of the freezing point. Where road surface sample at different time intervals (2, 4, 6,