Development of a model for the ice scraping process.
-
1996-10-01
Details:
-
Creators:
-
Corporate Creators:
-
Corporate Contributors:
-
Subject/TRT Terms:
-
Publication/ Report Number:
-
Resource Type:
-
Geographical Coverage:
-
OCLC Number:755924565
-
Edition:Final report.
-
Corporate Publisher:
-
NTL Classification:NTL-PLANNING AND POLICY-PLANNING AND POLICY
-
Abstract:A laboratory study has been conducted with two aims in mind. The first goal was
to develop a description of how a cutting edge scrapes ice from the road surface. The
second goal was to investigate the extent, if any, to which serrated blades were better than
un-serrated or "classical" blades at ice removal.
The tests were conducted in the Ice Research Laboratory at the Iowa Institute of
Hydraulic Research of the University of Iowa. A specialized testing machine, with a
hydraulic ram capable of attaining scraping velocities of up to 30 m.p.h. was used in the
testing.
In order to determine the ice scraping process, the effects of scraping velocity, ice
thickness, and blade geometry on the ice scraping forces were determined. Higher ice
thickness lead to greater ice chipping (as opposed to pulverization at lower thicknesses)
and thus lower loads. S~milabr ehavior was observed at higher velocities. The study of
blade geometry included the effect of rake angle, clearance angle, and flat width. The
latter were found to be particularly important in developing a clear picture of the scraping
process. As clearance angle decreases and flat width increases, the scraping loads show a
marked increase, due to the need to re-compress pulverized ice fragments.
The effect of serrations was to decrease the scraping forces. However, for the
coarsest serrated blades (with the widest teeth and gaps) the quantity of ice removed was
significantly less than for a classical blade. Finer serrations appear to be able to match the
ice removal of classical blades at lower scraping loads. Thus, one of the
recommendations of this study is to examine the use of serrated blades in the field.
Preliminary work (by Nixon and Potter, 1996) suggests such work will be fruitful.
A second and perhaps more challenging result of the study is that chipping of ice
is more preferable to pulverization of the ice. How such chipping can be forced to occur
is at present an open question.
-
Format:
-
Collection(s):
-
Main Document Checksum:
-
File Type:
Supporting Files
-
No Additional Files
More +