Performance of Various Antifreezing Pavements by Field Test

Abstract

Eleven kinds of antifreezing pavement that rely on physical action were tested. The test pavements were compared with conventional pavements. The pavements covered with elastic materials or elastic material mixed with conventional material, both of which rely on surface deflection by the load of passing vehicles to break ice, were found to be more effective than the pavements with a coarse surface. A pavement into which grooves are cut and filled with urethane resin (Test Pavement B3) and a pavement with cylindrical or doughnut-shaped rubber embedded at regular intervals in the surface (Test Pavement B4) had high anti-freezing effectiveness. Based on these results, a model intersection was installed with these two pavement types of high antifreezing effectiveness. A survey of pedestrians at the intersection was conducted. Of the respondents, 45 percent answered that it was easier to walk on these kinds of pavements than on conventional pavement. There was less delay in the starting of automobiles when the traffic light turned green with B3 pavement than with other types of pavement. These results confirm that application of antifreezing pavement is effective for pedestrians and automobiles. Further study should focus on confirming the long-term durability and performance life.