# Ice blade use



## Coolnorth (Feb 17, 2011)

Hello from Dryden, Ontario.

I have a question for the pro road plow operators or grader operators out there. What is an ideal temperature for removing snowpack and ice off a gravel road with an ice cutting blade? My road on our local roads board jurisdiction needs the snow-packed washboard removed (about 9km worth) and we were being delayed because of the very cold temperatures, -30 Celcius.

Now, of course, the weather has warmed up so much the last few days and the road is getting soft enough that a truck plow would do the job.

Any info would be appreciated!

Graham


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## leon (Nov 18, 2008)

*Ice*

Its not an easy thing to determine as the 
Ground temperature is what will rule any 
work.

The quickest way is to purchase an 
in ground thermometer for agricultural 
use.


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## Coolnorth (Feb 17, 2011)

leon;1245108 said:


> Its not an easy thing to determine as the
> Ground temperature is what will rule any
> work.
> 
> ...


So are you meaning the road surface temperature or the in ground temperature at a certain depth? The MTO (min. of Transportation Ontario) has truck-mounted thermometers which measure road surface temperature while driving to give data back to the snowplow drivers. This in turn determines salt/gravel ratios for highway treatment.

I know that snowpack will literally "pop" off of pavement when the temperature elevates above freezing for a day (our driveway will do this in March). 
Back to the problem I mention, the grader operator will try to cut through the ice or snowpack just enough to smooth it out, without touching the gravel too much and possibly wearing the cutting edge too quickly.

Graham


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## leon (Nov 18, 2008)

*graders, oh my*

Hello Grant,

I certainly appreciate your interest.

The big thing is solar radiation and how much area 
is exposed to the heat even when it is very cold as
the ground absorbs the solar energy.

I am glad you have grader operators that know what 
they are doing when plowing snow and ice.


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