WTI

Development of Standardized Test Procedures for Evaluating Deicing Compounds

Primary Investigator Contact Information

External Project Contact(s)

Report(s)

1. Development of Standardized Test Procedures for Evaluating Deicing Chemicals
   1. Michelle Akin and Xianming Shi
   2. 4W1906_Final_Report_Updated.pdf

Project Objective

The objective of the proposed research is to develop and/or identify a series of standard laboratory testing procedures and ranges that can be used to evaluate the performance of deicing chemicals, additives and mixtures used on roadways and other transportation facilities.

Project Abstract

Transportation agencies are under increasing pressure to maintain high levels of safety and mobility even during the winter months, while working with limited financial and staffing resources and recognizing the corrosion and environmental challenges related to chemical and material usage. New deicing chemicals, additives or mixtures are continually introduced into the market by manufacturers for use in snow and ice operations. Currently users do not have access to a robust set of performance testing procedures that would enable them to make informed decisions on which products to purchase. It is necessary to develop a set of standard laboratory tests that can be required of all deicer manufacturers to provide more performance information about their products. Such tests will also help users understand how a product may work in their operations and help better match a deicing substance with their specific roadway environment (road weather conditions; financial, political, and environmental constraints; etc.) and level of service requirements. The Pacific Northwest Snowfighters (PNS, http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/partners/pns/) Association has become a recognized pioneer in establishing and standardizing chemical products for snow and ice control, consisting of professionals from transportation agencies in the States of Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Colorado and British Columbia. The PNS conducts extensive testing on various deicing chemicals, with a focus on corrosion of bare steel and environmental impacts. Clear Roads (http://www.clearroads.org) is a pooled fund research project aimed at rigorous testing of winter maintenance materials, equipment and methods for use by highway maintenance crews, with 14 member states. Clear Roads responds to a need for research based on practical experience, sponsoring projects that aim to deliver immediately useful data and recommendations on the effectiveness, ease of use, optimum application rates, durability, and more, of many advanced winter operations technologies. Currently, there is an urgent need to identify/develop tests that address deicer evaluation criteria in addition to existing PNS tests, which is the objective of this research. This project will be a research contract sponsored by the Clear Roads pooled fund research program, in coordination with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The objective of the proposed research is to develop and/or identify a series of standard laboratory testing procedures and ranges that can be used to evaluate the performance of deicing chemicals, additives and mixtures used on roadways and other transportation facilities. Specifically, this research aims to establish reliable measures to quantify the performance of anti-icing and deicing products, based on the performance needs of the Clear Roads member states. The standard tests will cover a range of criteria such as freezing points at different solution concentrations, cost, corrosion, melting capacity, environmental impact and ease of use.

Task Descriptions

1. Final Report
   1. The team will detail all study findings and recommendations in a final report.
2. Develop testing protocols, procedures and ranges
   1. Researchers will develop detailed testing protocols and procedures to meet the testing needs identified in Task 2 that cannot be met by existing test procedures. The tests should be developed with the expectation that they will be performed by independent testing laboratories on any deicing chemical, additive or mix. Researchers will create a list of all tests to be conducted including the ranges for each test that will be referenced in the deicer evaluation process.
3. Conduct Baseline Tests
   1. Researchers will conduct the tests identified and/or developed on two of the most commonly used deicers for transportation facilities (sodium chloride and calcium chloride or magnesium chloride) to determine a baseline of test results against which other deicer evaluations can be compared.
4. Comprehensive Literature Search
   1. Researchers will review related research and guidelines from around the country to identify existing standards for evaluating deicer performance. They will present the results of the literature search, along with an analysis of the best standards and value ranges for each test identified, to the Clear Roads Technical Advisory Committee.
5. Needs Identification and Recommendations
   1. Researchers will consult with representatives from the Clear Roads member states (Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Utah, Wisconsin, Wyoming and New York) to identify testing needs and priorities for performance requirements. They will develop an interim report that summarizes the results of the needs identification, including the applicable existing test procedures identified and recommendations for development of new test procedures.

Milestones, Dates, Schedule

Student Involvement

True

Relationship to Other Research Projects

True

Technology Transfer Activities

True

Transportation Research Board Keywords

Test protocol, snow and ice control, deicing compounds

Partners

Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Clear Roads Initiative Pooled Fund States: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and New York