Advanced Cutting Edge Clears More Ice in New Hampshire
A new, state-of-the art snowplow with a tungsten-carbide blade is helping New Hampshire keep roads clear of snow and ice.
The Challenge
Snowy, icy conditions are common in New Hampshire, where freezing precipitation is possible year-round. Keeping roads clear of snow and ice is a major task for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (DOT). Conventional plows do a good job of plowing fresh snow, but they're not so good at removing packed snow.
Looking for a better way to remove snow and ice from roads, New Hampshire DOT decided to evaluate a new design for the cutting edge of a snowblade.
The advanced snowplow cutting edge is made of tungsten carbide. Developed under the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP), the cutting edge is designed to provide better snow and ice removal capabilities than standard blades while requiring less downward force on the road.
Putting the Device to the Test
New Hampshire DOT's District 2 purchased a 3.4-m-long (11-ft) underbody plow during the winter of 1994-1995. The plow was mounted on a 1984 six-wheel dump truck. The SHRP cutting edge was then affixed to the plow blade. When the next snowstorm hit, the DOT sent the truck out to clear State Route 10 in Hanover.
The advanced plow edge worked extremely well. "It was quite impressive, even mounted on an underpowered 10-year-old truck that we literally pulled out of the scrapyard for the test," says Alan Hanscom, assistant district engineer for New Hampshire DOT. The blade was very effective on hardpack and ice, and performed as well as a conventional blade on dry snow. However, the truck's limited power caused problems on some hills.
The barer the pavement, the safer the driving conditions. Using the advanced cutting edge can thus make traveling saver.
New Hampshire DOT also says that using the advanced snowplow edge cuts the amount of deicing chemicals, such as salt, that need to be applied to the pavement.
Durability was not a problem-Hanscom says he heard few complaints from the plow operator.
Next winter, Hanscom says, "We'd really like to get the underbody plow on a 10-wheel truck and use it on the Interstate. However, we are having trouble finding a truck under which the plow will fit."
The Benefits
By clearing ice and packed snow more efficiently from roads, the advanced cutting edge
- Provides safer road conditions during winter months.
- Reduces the amount of deicing chemicals needed, which will save the highway agency money and limit any environmental damage.
Because the blade is designed to require less downward force from the truck, the driver will have more control of the vehicle.
