In recent years it has become increasingly clear that the corrosion and toxicity costs associated with snow and ice control products must be balanced with the value they provide, and there is a need to adopt a holistic approach to the development and selection of such products. A recently completed project demonstrated the feasibility of using a “green” additive sourced from waste sugar beet leaves for anti-icing, while a preliminary laboratory study revealed that a “green” additive sourced from apple pomace exhibits better corrosion inhibition efficiency than that sourced from waste sugar beet leaves, and the two feature distinctly different chemistry and thus merit further investigation. As a follow-up, the objective of this project is to develop innovative anti-icing and pre-wetting formulations for snow and ice control on roadways by using locally sourced agricultural wastes, fruit by-products, and other bio-based additives for freezing-point suppression, performance enhancement, and infrastructure preservation. This work will provide maintenance agencies with more snow and ice control options for sustainable winter road service. The exploration of bio-based renewable additives for snow/ice control operations will also add value to agricultural wastes and fruit by-products, benefiting the local economy.
Principal Investigator: Xianming Shi, Civil and Environmental Engineering, WSU
Sponsor: WSDOT
WSDOT Project Manager: Doug Brodin
Scheduled completion: July 2018