Synthesis and Best Practices for Performance Evaluation of Snow and Ice Plows

Removal of ice and snow from road surfaces is a critical task in the northern tier states of the United States, including Illinois. Highways with high levels of traffic are expected to be cleared of snow and ice quickly after each snowstorm. This is necessary for maintaining the safety of the public and the efficiency of the highway system. Earlier this year, the Illinois Department of Transportation (DOT) started a research project to conduct a comprehensive study to evaluate the performance of snow and ice plows. The project targets several plow performance indicators, including blade type, scrapping forces, and shock acceleration. This paper will present the first part of the study in which a comprehensive literature review is conducted to summarize documented snow and ice plow performance evaluation measures. In addition to a traditional literature review through research reports and papers, the research team will conduct interviews with agency personnel, Illinois DOT engineers, and consultants actively involved in snow and ice plowing. The focus of these interviews is to collect information related to best practices and standards for plow and blade selection, installation, and maintenance. Based on the results of this review, the research team is to develop a performance evaluation procedure that would include the identification of controlling parameters for performance measures (e.g., scraping force, shock acceleration, plow design, plow angle, and speed), the development of an instrumentation plan for measuring scraping forces and shock accelerations on the plows, and the design of a test matrix for data collection. The authors will also present the experimental plan in which several plows and blades will be tested under actual snow and ice conditions using different angles, speeds, and plow designs. The testing will be conducted on Illinois Interstate highways and secondary roads during snowstorms of the 2011–2012 winter season.