SOME PROPERTIES OF SAWDUST-SNOW-ICE MIXTURES.

• Main Author: Abele,Gunars
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER N H
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1964
• Subjects: TRAFFICABILITY; SNOW; WOOD; ICE; MIXTURES; LOADS(FORCES); ADDITIVES; SAFETY; COMPRESSIVE PROPERTIES; HARDNESS; COLD WEATHER TESTS; TRANSPORTATION; SAWDUST; Greenland; Psi
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0606127; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0606127

Previous studies on the supporting capacity of snow pavements have indicated that heavy wheel loads, 40,000 lb, producing contact pressures up to 150 psi, can be supported on dry-processed, age-hardened snow pavements. It may be desirable to expand this study further by developing methods for constructing snow pavements capable of supporting even higher wheel loads with higher contact pressures. The use of additives in snow pavements to increase its strength has been considered. So far, however, the study of such additives has been limited to sawdust and wood chips. Preliminary studies on sawdust-snow mixtures were performed at the Keweenaw Field Station and in Greenland with a dual purpose: (1) to determine the increase in the bearing capacity of a processed snow pavement to which sawdust had been added, (2) to observe the skid reducing properties of a sawdust-snow pavement surface. It can be assumed that there exists an optimum amount of sawdust that can be added to processed snow with favorable results. This optimum sawdust content has not been determined. The additon of some sawdust to processed snow increases the ultimate bearing capacity of snow. There are indications that if the amount of sawdust exceeds a certain percentage, the age-hardening process will be retarded. Foreign particles in processed snow will decrease the snow grain-to-grain contact which is necessary for age hardening to occur.