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Best Practices for Road Weather Management Version 2.0

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Title:

Pre-wetting and Anti-icing: Techniques for Winter Road Maintenance

Abstract:

Recent developments in the use of liquid chemicals offer new options to road maintenance agencies beyond what they can do with dry salt and sand. Chemicals other than salt are being used more and more. This publication describes these new options and gives basic information on pre-wetting and anti-icing. Pre-wetting is a strategy of applying a liquid deicing chemical to a dry solid before or during its application to the pavement. When a liquid is applied to a rock salt particle, the particle absorbs a minor amount of the liquid which increases its density. The liquid also encapsulates, softens, and begins dissolving the salt particle. The wet salt stays on the road surface better, bouncing less and resisting traffic action.

Source(s):

Wisconsin Transportation Information Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Date: 2005

Author:

Keywords:


Winter maintenance
Productivity
Benefits
Costs

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