Evaluation of Variable Curvature Snow Plow Blades

Details

• Creators:
  Becker, Jonathan
• Corporate Creators:
  South Dakota. Department of Transportation. Office of Research
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Blades (Machinery) Curvature Evaluation Flexible Moldboard Safety Snowplows Winter Maintenance Winter Operations
• Publication/ Report Number:
  SD94-11-F
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  South Dakota ; United States
• Edition:
  Final Report August 1994 to June 1996
• Corporate Publisher:
  South Dakota. Department of Transportation. Office of Research
• Abstract:
  The problem of highway accidents involving snowplows has arisen again and again over the years. Snowplow operators work in a harsh environment when winter winds blow snow across the road, and snow from the plow blows over the top of the hood. further obscuring visibility. Each winter motorists travel at speeds higher than conditions dictate into conditions where visibility is reduced to nearly zero. It is during these harsh driving conditions that snowplow operators are most vulnerable to being hit by motorists. The results can be thousands of dollars in private and state vehicle damages, injuries and fatalities. A flexible moldboard plow manufactured by Frink America was evaluated for its ease of use and effectiveness at reducing the snow cloud obscuring the plow. Video and interviews of snowplow operators reveal the flexible plow is simple to use and effective at directing the snow in a narrow column off of the roadway. The capability to adjust the plow's curvature and angle to centerline on the fly allows the operator to adapt the plow to changing conditions quickly. Narrowing the discharge end of the plow directs the snow away from the plow rather than over the hood and windshield. greatly improving the operator's visibility. This allows the operator to drive faster. more closely matching the speed of traffic and plowing more roadway in a given time. The higher cost of the plow can be recovered by plowing highways in a shorter time and avoiding accidents. It is recommended that the SDDOT purchase flexible moldboard plows when higher highway speeds and visibility are required, and the plow's cost can be recovered within three years.
• Format:
  PDF
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:bd60eadb60daa7c7177a44a91f0a7f1b8df65cf7f10497edcd107053246eaec2b730592e7e1cd3b9af29648cf8d94eac553a5d13835c3a4f66966f25548949ac
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/80178/dot_80178_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.30 MB ]