Preserving the value of highway maintenance equipment against roadway deicers: a case study and preliminary cost benefit analysis
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to report the best practices of deicer corrosion control adopted by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to preserve the performance, reliability and value of its highway maintenance equipment assets.
Design/methodology/approach
To enable quantitative analyses, data were collected from a site visit to WSDOT, as well as from a survey of maintenance practitioners from various transportation agencies. The direct costs related to equipment corrosion aggravated by the exposure to roadway deicers were analyzed, along with the direct benefits of mitigating such corrosion, using WSDOT as a case study. In addition, the same preliminary cost benefit analysis was conducted for an “average” Department of Transportation in a northern climate.
Findings
Both cases show a highly favorable benefit-to-cost ratio for enhanced investment in controlling the risk of deicer corrosion.
Research limitations/implications
It has not yet been possible to confirm this compelling argument because the analysis is partly based on assumptions instead of fully based on actual data.
Practical implications
This work highlights the need to collect the relevant data such that future analysis and sensitivity analysis can be substantiated with actual data on costs and benefits. It concludes with a few suggestions for implementation.
Originality/value
Many components in highway maintenance equipment fleet are at the risk of metallic corrosion, which is exacerbated in service environments where roadway deicers have been applied. This work lays the foundation for future research into this important issue.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The research reported herein was financially supported by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) as well as the USDOT Research & Innovative Technology Administration. The authors are indebted to the AUTC project manager Billy Connor, WSDOT project manager Kim Willoughby and other technical panel members for their continued support and guidance. X Shi acknowledges funding support by the ChuTian Scholar Visiting Professorship Fund by the Hubei Department of Education for the preparation of this paper.
Citation
Shi, X., Hansen, G., Mills, M., Jungwirth, S. and Zhang, Y. (2015), "Preserving the value of highway maintenance equipment against roadway deicers: a case study and preliminary cost benefit analysis", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 63 No. 1, pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1108/ACMM-07-2014-1410
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited