Corrosion to maintenance equipment resulting from the use of chloride deicers is a tremendous problem for transportation agencies across North America. While there are many products, and much anecdotal guidance for the prevention of corrosion, there is not a consolidated guide that combines all of the available knowledge on corrosion prevention for use by snow and ice control practitioners. Such a manual would be applicable to the entire winter maintenance community and could aid agencies in the prevention of corrosion and the extension of equipment life cycles.

In the final report for the project on Best Practices and Guidelines for Protecting DOT Equipment from the Corrosive Effect of Chemical Deicers, researchers identified the need for additional study to bridge some existing knowledge gaps relevant to this subject. These include research on the long-term effectiveness of best practices or products for corrosion protection; minimizing the risk of premature failure of the post-assembly coatings; the synergistic use of washing and inhibitors; and the study of metallic components. Finally, research is needed to develop best practice guidelines (e.g., a user’s corrosion management guide) on the best practices against deicer corrosion.

This project is sponsored by Clear Roads, an ongoing pooled fund research project aimed at rigorous testing of winter maintenance materials, equipment and methods for use by highway maintenance crews. Clear Roads will fund and oversee the contract for this project in coordination with MnDOT.