Lightweight Aggregate Used as Ice Chat Improves Safety From Winter Weather
Key Insights:
Quick Facts:
- Name: Grade 5 Modified Ice Chat
- Location: North Texas
Challenge: Improving road traction in icy conditions while reducing the clean-up needs typically associated with sand-based de-icing materials.
How Arcosa Helped
- Our Solution: Provided a Grade 5 Modified Ice Chat blend, substituting sand with lightweight aggregate to improve moisture absorption, reduce weight, and minimize maintenance requirements.
- Why Lightweight Works: The lightweight aggregate provides added traction, reduces cleanup needs, and cuts down on transportation and application costs due to its low density.
Final Results
- Increased road safety, minimized skidding risk, and reduced maintenance costs across TXDOT districts and high-traffic areas such as Dallas Cowboy Stadium.
Key Quote
“The material weighs half as much as most competitive products, so once the ice melts, the natural rotation of vehicle tires will sweep excess material off to the shoulder of the road.”
Context:
- Considerations: By replacing sand with lightweight aggregate, Grade 5 Modified Ice Chat offers a cost-effective, high-performing alternative that is easier to apply, maintain, and clean up.
- Lesson to Learn:Lightweight aggregate in de-icing materials reduces both labor and liability, proving beneficial for departments managing large road networks.
Explore Further
Lightweight Aggregate Used as Ice Chat Improves Safety From Winter Weather
Wintry weather in North Texas can sometimes turn surprisingly extreme, leaving icy roads in its wake. That’s why the Texas Department of Transportation often blends lightweight expanded shale into a product they call “ice chat”.
Grade 5 Modified Ice Chat is a unique winter road safety product that improves traction and helps drivers safely navigate icy patches on roads and bridges. Traditionally, “ice chat” consists of sand and magnesium chloride, a mixture used for both de-icing and increasing traction on slick surfaces. In the Grade 5 Modified blend, lightweight aggregate replaces sand, resulting in a solution that’s equally effective but far more efficient in terms of cost, weight, and clean-up needs.
Innovative Composition for Enhanced Performance
Grade 5 Modified Ice Chat is composed of 60% rock shards, 10% magnesium chloride (a salt-based de-icer), and 30% lightweight aggregate. The lightweight aggregate acts as a superior alternative to sand, providing moisture absorption while adding critical traction for vehicle tires on icy roads. This blend not only keeps roads safer but also provides additional benefits that traditional sand mixtures lack.
Proven Results in Extreme Weather
During the extreme winter weather that hit North Texas in February 2011, Arcosa’s Streetman Expanded Shale Plant supplied over 12,000 cubic yards of Grade 5 Modified Ice Chat to TXDOT districts, city maintenance teams, and private facilities. The material was also used on walkways around Dallas Cowboy Stadium during Super Bowl XLV, providing traction in high-traffic areas. This large-scale deployment demonstrated Ice Chat’s ability to effectively meet demand while delivering reliable results in challenging winter conditions.
Product Benefits: Reducing Maintenance and Liability
With its lightweight aggregate substitution, Grade 5 Modified Ice Chat provides significant advantages in terms of clean-up and maintenance. The material is lightweight and naturally disperses off the roadway with traffic flow, reducing the need for extensive sweeping. This translates into lower maintenance costs and reduced liability, as it eliminates the need for crews to perform potentially hazardous post-application clean-up.
Versatile Applications Beyond De-Icing
The Grade 5 Modified product is not only designed for de-icing but is also highly versatile. This (-3/8) blend of materials can be used for various maintenance tasks, including pothole patching and absorbing chemical spills. Its lightweight composition and moisture-absorbing properties make it a valuable, multi-functional resource for transportation departments and maintenance crews year-round.
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