Winter Maintenance
E-Newsletter
- February 2008
Produced by CTC & Associates LLC
To be notified of new issues email, info@ctcandassociates.com
Past Newsletters: September 2007, July 2007, November 2007
News
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center is offering scheduled short-term winter weather mesoscale discussions (MDs) in support of NWS and external partners. The winter weather MD provides technical analysis and forecast of mesoscale processes contributing to heavy snow, significant icing and blizzard conditions up to six hours in advance. The MDs are issued when short-term hazardous winter weather impacts the continental U.S., and are composed and transmitted four times daily. Mesoscale Discussions site.
Minnesota DOT’s new tow plow is a trailer mounted device pulled and operated from a class 35 tandem truck, providing the ability to move snow efficiently and safely from two lanes in one pass. The plow is being shared by District 3 and Metro this winter for clearing I-94 between Maple Grove and St. Cloud. Article.
The Howard County, Maryland fleet of winter maintenance vehicles is equipped with AVL technology, allowing the Bureau of Highways – and the public – to track the progress of winter storm response online. County residents can visit the county’s home page, click on the “Snow Plow Tracker” icon, and view an interactive map showing real-time cleanup progress on county roads, including plow locations, roads that have been plowed and/or salted, and roads that have not been treated. Tracker.
This winter maintenance course provides a comprehensive overview of the latest winter maintenance practices, equipment and materials. Course topics will include Snow and Ice Control; Weather and RWIS; Salt Management; and Minimum Maintenance Standards, Level of Service, Record Keeping, Safety, Hours of Service. Winter maintenance supervisors are invited to attend. Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, 2008, Severn Bridge, Ontario. Details.
This workshop is a national forum for academia, emergency management, media and NOAA to exchange information and techniques for public safety during severe weather. Presentation topics will target extreme weather event forecasting and disaster mitigation. Central to the workshop, the “Scenario” allows participants to step out of their normal operational roles and responsibilities and take part in a simulated emergency. March 6 to 8, 2008, Norman, OK. Details.
The upcoming SIMA Symposium will feature more than 20 educational sessions in several tracks, along with breakfast and lunchtime roundtables on a variety of snow and ice topics. Special events include a tour of the University of Buffalo Snow and Ice Management Facility, and a trade show featuring 80 companies providing products, programs and services for snow and ice management professionals. June 18 to 21, 2008, Buffalo, NY. Details.
The Salt Institute has released the fifth edition of this venerable guide, originally published in 1967. Topics addressed include pre-winter planning, equipment scheduling and maintenance, special plowing and spreading problems and environmental considerations. Handbook.
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Research Reports
Project 2003-05, Final Report
The purpose of this study was to investigate the variation of snow cover along a highway during winter storms within the scale of a plow route. Understanding the variance at this scale can assist highway maintainers by:
- providing guidance in extrapolating surface condition information from an RWIS measuring site to other locations along a highway
- locating RWIS stations where road weather conditions are representative of a larger area
- predicting differences in maintenance demand along or between maintenance routes.
MN/RC 2007-37, September 2007
In this project, a wheel based tire-road friction coefficient measurement system is developed for snowplows. Unlike a traditional Norse meter, this system is based on measurement of lateral tire forces, has minimal moving parts and does not use any actuators. Detailed experimental results are presented on the performance of the friction estimation system on different types of road surfaces. In the second part of the project, the friction measurement system is used for automated control of the chemical applicator on the snowplow. Report.
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Research in Progress
The objectives of this research are to: (1) Define the extent, distribution, sources and contributing factors involved in roadside tree damage and injury adjacent to highways in the Black Hills, and (2) Develop recommendations and guidelines for modifying current de-icing and roadside maintenance practices to minimize impact to roadside trees. Sponsor: U.S. DOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration. Abstract.
The objectives of this project include: (1) Use field and laboratory experiments to evaluate the effect of various ice and snow melting chemicals on rubberized pavements, and (2) Select the most cost-effective ice and snow melting chemical blends, application rate and procedure, and other pavement maintenance strategies for rubberized pavements, to achieve traffic safety and reduce pavement damage from de-icing chemicals. Sponsor: Arizona Department of Transportation. Abstract (scroll to page 72).
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