Calibration Accuracy of Manual and Ground-Speed-Control Spreaders

Project Number: Clear Roads 05-02/WisDOT 0092-06-21
Status: Completed, February 2008
Investigator: Blackburn and Associates
Feature article in Better Roads magazine (July 2009 issue)
Feature article in Roads and Bridges magazine (September 2009 issue)

Final Deliverables
Final report (1.5 MB)
Report brief (224 KB)
Calibration Guide (1.16 MB)

Problem
Although ground speed control has been used on snow plow and salt spreader trucks in place of manual spreaders since the mid-1990s, the accuracy of the equipment has never been determined.

Objective
Document controller settings, actual salt usage and prewetting rate information from trucks with various types of controller units during winter storm events.

Results
Guidelines to help snow plow operators establish and maintain accurate calibration of ground speed controllers, resulting in reduced salt usage and improved efficiency.