Feature
Materials and technologies for winter road maintenance in Lithuania
Authors
Matas Bulevičius Head Director, JSC Problematika Laboratory, Vilnius
Darjusas Mučinis Deputy Director, JSC Problematika Laboratory, Vilnius
Donatas Čygas Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Engineering at the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (Lithuania)
Alfredas Laurinavičius Vice-rector for Strategic Development, Faculty of Environmental Engineering at the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (Lithuania)
Audrius Vaitkus Director of Road Research Institute and member of the World Road Association Technical Committee 4.2 on Road pavements, Faculty of Environmental Engineering at the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (Lithuania)
Illustrations © Matas Bulevičius
Winter season in Lithuania lasts 5-6 months. As in many European and other countries in the world, traditional materials of winter road maintenance are used: NaCl, CaCl2, their mixes or more ecological products manufactured on their basis. On gravel roads or low-volume roads the mixes of NaCl and frictional materials (sand, crushed stone) are used. For maintenance purposes (to reduce slipperiness) a wet salt technology is applied or spreading of chloride- frictional material mixes.