Abstract Manager

Road salts are commonly applied for controlling snow and ice on roads for safe operation of transportation systems. The most used road salt, rock salt, induces infrastructure problems, corrosion being a major one. Transportation agencies of cold countries spend million of dollars annually fixing infrastructure, especially corrosion related problems associated with the rock salts. Researchers and transportation stakeholders are concerned about the corrosion on the roadway infrastructures and are working to mitigate it. This study conducts laboratory experiments and determines the corrosivity of six road salts developed by Starstech. These special salts have a porous structure of calcium carbonate obtained by removing proteins from starfish to adsorb chlorine ions.  These salts were compared with traditional rock salt on steel rebar in terms of corrosivity. The corrosion resistant salts along with rock salt were dissolved in deionized water separately for preparing brine solution. Steel rebar was submerged in each of brine solution for observing corrosivity. Change in color and weight of rebar at different durations were observed and reported. The outcome of this research is reported based on physical observations and change in weight of rebar after each cycle of submergence in different brine solutions. The formation of protective layer on the steel rebar for each of corrosion resistant brine solution was obvious from the visual observation. The weight loss of rebar submerged in rock salt was higher than Starstech salts. The outcome of Starstech salts is promising as corrosion resistant de-icer and may be suitable for using in cold countries.