Maintenance agencies in northern climates are continually challenged to provide a high level of service (LOS) and improve safety and mobility on winter pavement in a cost-effective and environmentally responsible manner.  Chloride-based  salts play  a key  role  (as freezing point depressants)  in  anti-icing, deicing, and pre-wetting operations; yet there are increasing concerns over their cost and negative impacts on motor vehicles, maintenance equipment, transportation infrastructure, and the natural environment.  The ultimate goal of many  best practices  is to apply  the right  type and amount  of materials in the right place at the right time for winter maintenance activities. To ensure the appropriate application rate of salt or salt brine on pavement, there is an urgent need to identify, evaluate and potentially improve technologies that provide better and quantitative information about pre- existing/residual salt concentration on the pavement prior to new application of salt or salt brine. This need has been identified as a high priority by the National Winter Maintenance Peer Exchanges (in 2007 and 2009) as well as the Aurora Consortium.

The objectives of this research project are to identify existing and developing technology for mobile chloride detection that can provide real time data, test the feasibility and reliability of the technology, and determine if this technology can be used real time by winter maintenance practitioners in the decision making process. Phase 1 of this research will include a comprehensive literature review on chloride detection sensors, focused on currently available and developing chloride sensing technology that can be used on mobile platforms and provide real time data.  A survey of practitioners and industry will be used to gather additional or unpublished information, and assess the feasibility of using this technology as a decision making tool. The results of this work will published in a memorandum, which will include a summary table that reviews each salinity sensing technology, the physical properties, state of development and/or implementation, relevant laboratory and field findings, and a ranking based on feasibility of use in Phase 2 Field Trials.

This project was developed and funded through the Aurora Pooled Fund Program and Iowa DOT.