A field study was undertaken during the winters of 1986-1987 and1987-1988 to compare the performance of calcium magnesium acetate (cma) and rock salt as deicing chemicals. The study included determination of the deicing effectiveness and the handling and storage characteristics of the two chemicals. The cma was applied to a section of freeway and the adjacent sections of service roads near beamsville, ontario. Salt was applied to the adjoining freeway and service roads, which served as the control sections. The cma and salt were applied at specified rates, and the frequency was dictated by the road conditions. The condition of the test sections was recorded by independent monitors at 1-hr intervals during all winter storms. The cma was found to be comparable to salt in achieving bare pavement, thoughmore cma was used than salt. Cma was found to be relatively more effective in longer storms, and there was a residual effect from one storm to another. The storage and handling characteristics of cma were similar to those of salt. Modifications to equipment were not required, and spreading procedures were changed only slightly. The corrosion of the cma spreader unit was substantially less than that of the salt spreader unit. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1246, Winter maintenance, roadside management, and ratingroutine maintenance activities.
Samenvatting