Longevity of corrosion inhibitors and performance of anti-icing products after pavement application: A case study

• Published in: Cold regions science and technology 2012-12, Vol.83-84, p.89-97
• Main Authors: Shi, Xianming, Fortune, Keith, Fay, Laura, Smithlin, Robert, Cross, Doug, Yang, Zhengxian, Wu, Jianlin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-icer performance; Anti-icer residual; Chloride concentration; Chlorides; Corrosion inhibitor; Corrosion inhibitors; DSC; Inhibition; Liquids; Longevity; Longevity on pavement; Pavements; Snow; UV–vis; Winter; Winter road maintenance
• ISSN: 0165-232X; 1872-7441
• DOI: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2012.06.009

For snow and ice control on winter roads, the direct cost of corrosion-inhibited chemicals can be much higher than that of the non-inhibited chemicals. Yet, prior to this work, little was known about how long the corrosion inhibitors and the anti-icing products remain effective on the pavement once applied. This case study investigated the longevity of inhibitors and the performance of corrosion-inhibited anti-icing products after pavement application during winter storms. The field operational tests included the daily sampling of anti-icer residuals on the pavement for seven days after anti-icer application for a black ice event, a man-made snow event, and a natural snow event, respectively. Subsequently, multiple analytical methods were used to examine the properties of pavement-collected samples in the laboratory. It was found that more than 62% of the inhibitor in the CCB anti-icer and more than 20% of the chlorides (especially for FreezGard and NaCl+GLT) could remain on the pavement four days after the application of liquid anti-icers to treat black ice. The longevity of chlorides and inhibitors on the pavement after anti-icer application can vary greatly depending on the pavement temperature, the amount of precipitation, etc. ► No significant performance difference was observed between the three anti-icers. ► The fate of the corrosion inhibitors differed from those of the chlorides on pavement. ► Dilution and anti-icer wicking into the pavement and snow contributed to their loss. ► Relative corrosivity of anti-icers on field pavement differed from that in the lab.