GUIDELINES FOR SNOW AND ICE CONTROL MATERIALS AND METHODS

Snow and ice control strategies and tactics (S&Ts) that employ solid and liquid chemicals, abrasives, and mechanical methods--individually or in combination--have been used by many different highway agencies throughout the world. Research by the Strategic Highway Research Program, the Federal Highway Administration, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program and other organizations in the United States and other countries has addressed many of the issues associated with snow and ice control treatments. However, widely accepted guidelines for selecting level-of-service driven roadway S&Ts for specific weather, site, and traffic conditions have not been developed. Without this information, the process of selecting treatment S&Ts that meet highway agencies' level of service objectives is difficult. The results of a multiyear study conducted under NCHRP Project 6-13 are described. Five snow and ice control S&T combinations were tested and evaluated under various ranges of weather, site, and traffic conditions found in North America. A pavement ice condition index was developed for determining the overall effectiveness of a given snow and ice control S&T combination as well as effectiveness of within-storm and end-of-storm winter maintenance operations. The field test results were used to develop a set of guidelines for selecting roadway S&Ts for a range of winter maintenance operating conditions. The results were also used in developing snow and ice control material application rate guidelines.