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Best Practices for Road Weather Management Version 2.0

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Title:

Comprehensive Evaluation of Bridge Anti-icing Technologies: Final Report

Abstract:

The Knik Arm Crossing Project is to construct a cost-affordable, vehicular toll bridge of about 2 miles across Knik Arm (the northernmost branch of Cook Inlet) to join the Port of Anchorage and Port MacKenzie areas. The Knik Arm Crossing Project will provide improved transportation infrastructure, vehicular access and connectivity and needed safety and transportation system redundancy. Given the potential traffic disruptions caused by ice and snow in winter, a comprehensive literature investigation on bridge antiicing and deicing technologies is critically needed. This report provides technical recommendations for viable and economic anti-icing and deicing technologies for the Knik Arm Bridge. Based on the literature data in similar latitude, duration and intensity of freezing, and the fact that the thermal method may reduce the use of chemical agents substantially, a combination of the chemical method with a Fixed Automatic Spray Technology and the thermal method is suggested to be the best approach based on the cost-effectiveness criteria.

Source(s):

University of Alaska-Fairbanks, prepared for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/stwddes/research/assets/pdf/ine_autc_07_06.pdf

Date: 2007

Author:

Zhang, Das, Peterson, Goering

Keywords:


Anti-icing/Deicing
Anti-icing/Deicing chemicals
Winter maintenance
Pavement temperature
Thermal mapping
Costs
Road Weather Information System (RWIS)

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