Revolutionizing winter road maintenance with dynamic spreading and Mobile Detector MD30

Winter road maintenance is a critical task that ensures the safety and efficiency of transportation during the harsh winter months. Today, I want to introduce you to a transformative approach that leverages advanced technology to enhance winter road safety, efficiency and sustainability: dynamic spreading.

Current state

When spreaders are deployed to treat roads, they typically adhere to predetermined spreading rates depending on the winter event. Some spreaders allow the driver to easily increase the spreading rates for bridge sections or other critical areas. Additionally, some spreaders display surface temperature information to the drivers so they can adjust on the fly.

However, knowing how much real road conditions vary even within short distances, it’s easy to agree that the current practices are not fully optimized. Recent developments in the industry suggest that this is about to change in a big way.

Dynamic spreading: A smart solution

Dynamic spreading is not just about spreading salt on roads; it's about doing so smartly and sustainably. This method uses vehicle-mounted sensors and computerized dispensing systems to automatically adjust the amount of treatment materials based on real-time road conditions. This targeted approach helps in maintaining optimal road conditions, reduces material waste, and minimizes environmental impact.

The benefits of dynamic spreading in winter road maintenance are clear:

• Enhanced road safety: By applying the right amount of material where and when it's needed, dynamic spreading significantly reduces the risk of accidents on icy or snowy roads.
• Cost efficiency: Reducing the overuse of deicing materials not only cuts costs but also extends the lifespan of road maintenance equipment.
• Environmental sustainability: Less salt and chemicals on the roads mean lower risks of water pollution and less damage to roadside vegetation.

Industry collaboration advances dynamic spreading

To provide a solid foundation, our road weather experts collaborated with several road industry professionals to create a flexible treatment matrix incorporating friction, road conditions and pavement temperature trends with real-time weather information to provide material and amount guidance. Based on a two-hour cycle time, using prewetted salt, this treatment suggestion removes the subjectivity so operators can optimize material distribution during constantly changing road conditions.

Image

Dynamic spreading takes this to a new level. Data from the mobile road sensor — Vaisala Mobile Detector MD30 — integrates with the computerized dispensing system and material is dispensed at a predetermined rate based on grip. Or in some cases, dispensing is based on a combination of surface temperature and layer thicknesses. The predetermined rates are agency-specific but guided by the treatment matrix and meant to meet an organization’s needs.

This innovative approach eliminates the need for the operator to adjust the rate amount during an event, boosting winter road maintenance efficiency by reducing overtreatment and allowing operators to concentrate on vehicle operation.

Introducing the Mobile Detector MD30

The cutting-edge Mobile Detector MD30 provides real-time data on road weather conditions. Mounted on a snowplow or any other vehicle, this mobile sensor is a game-changer for winter road maintenance, offering precise and immediate road weather information that is crucial for effective dynamic spreading.

Image

The MD30 sensor measures a variety of parameters, including road surface temperature, layer thickness and grip. This data is essential for making informed decisions about the type and quantity of materials to dispense, ensuring that each treatment is as efficient and effective as possible.

• Real-time data gives you instant feedback on road conditions, allowing for quick adjustments to your spreading strategy.
• Easy integration with existing vehicle systems and dynamic spreading technologies enhances your current operations without extensive modifications.

The MD30 sensor has demonstrated significant results in salt spreading projects, with reductions in salt usage ranging from 20% to 55%. Given that an estimated 60 million tons of road salt are used globally each year, these savings represent a major breakthrough. By optimizing salt spread, the MD30 not only delivers substantial cost savings but also helps to mitigate the environmental impact of excessive salt usage, promoting a more sustainable approach to winter road maintenance.

Empower your winter road maintenance

Adopting dynamic spreading and integrating technologies like MD30 can transform how you manage winter road maintenance. Not only will you see improvements in road safety and cost management, but you will also contribute to environmental conservation efforts.

Ready to take your winter road maintenance to the next level? Learn more about MD30 and its benefits.