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A new sustainable additive for self-deicing asphalt mixture

  • CESTiCC Project Number
    1627
    Principal Investigator(s)

    Xianmming Shi

    Project Dates
    • Start: September 2016
    • End: August 2017
  • Funding Agency
    CESTiCC & WSU
    Project Budget
    $75,000

Project Information

Transportation agencies are increasingly relying on the use of chemical deicers for winter roadway safety and mobility. However, excessive use of such deicers (mainly chloride-based salts) poses potential risks to the natural environment, transportation infrastructure and motor vehicles. Previous research has indicated that a road wearing course paved with mixtures containing chloride-based deicing additives (Cl-DIA)  exhibited a higher level of self-ice-melting capacity compared to conventional asphalt mixtures. However, in addition to the concerns regarding long-term effectiveness, released chlorides can still cause pollution of the surrounding environment and corrosion in steel structure of vehicles and bridges. Therefore, there is a great need to develop a more sustainable deicing additive for asphalt mixture. The primary objectives of this project are to: (1) synthesize and characterize the new formate intercalated Zn-Al-Layered double hydroxide (ZnAl-FA-LDH); and (2) evaluate the self-deicing performance of the new LDH based additive and its effect on functional performance of asphalt mixture. 

For more information, please review the Project Information document.

  • Center for Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in Cold Climates (CESTiCC)
  • PO Box 75 5900
  • Fairbanks, AK 99775-5900