Ice Contact-Bonding in Air and in the Presence of an Aqueous Sodium Chloride Solution
Publication: Journal of Cold Regions Engineering
Volume 30, Issue 4
Abstract
Snow compacting on roads may become hazardous for traffic. Chemicals such as sodium chloride are therefore often used to prevent crust formation. Melting has been believed to be the mechanism through which a chemical does this. A recent study, however, indicates that reduced contact-bonding between ice crystals may be important. This hypothesis was tested by designing an experimental set-up capable of measuring the contact-bond strength between ice and a substrate. In this paper, ice–ice contact bonding was measured in air and in a sodium chloride solution. The study showed a statistically significant decrease in the median bonding force, from 0.57 N in air to 0.33 N in solution. The weakened contact-bonding in presence of a solution might explain the soft and noncompacting snow often seen on roads, an insight which might allow a more-efficient use of chemicals during snowfall.
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Acknowledgments
This study was sponsored by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration as a part of the project SaltSMART. The authors would like to thank Professor Erland M. Schulson of the Thayer School of Engineering at the Dartmouth College for valuable discussions and advice.
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Published In
Journal of Cold Regions Engineering
Volume 30 • Issue 4 • December 2016
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 11, 2014
Accepted: Nov 12, 2015
Published online: Feb 29, 2016
Discussion open until: Jul 29, 2016
Published in print: Dec 1, 2016
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