Effectiveness of anti-icing operations for snow and ice control of parking lots and sidewalks

This paper describes an empirical study aimed at investigating the performance of the anti-icing strategy for snow and ice control of parking lots and sidewalks. The research is motivated by the need to address several key questions concerning various operational decisions related to the anti-icing strategy, including its relative effectiveness under different weather and site conditions, treatment options, and optimal application rates. Extensive field tests were conducted under traffic controlled environment and variety of weather events using regular solid road salt, brine, and two other liquid alternatives. Data collected from these tests was used to analyze the performance of anti-icing operations such as friction level, bare pavement regain time, and the effects of various external factors such as pavement temperature and application rate. The research has concluded with findings that are directly applicable in real world winter maintenance practices.