Full scale testing of modern snowplow blades can be a difficult and often unrepeatable proposition depending on the weather and where your test track is located. In this episode Alex Klein-Paste of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) set about to design scale model testing of a particular snowplow blade design in a laboratory setting. Alex demonstrated that these tests closely mirror their full scale counterparts and set the stage for rapid development and testing of various designs. This work was presented at the 2024 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

Check out this video of the model snow plow clearing snow at this link
https://youtu.be/KDTDGT96-j0?si=gcwmTeQbjWs_dN4t

You can reach out directly to Alex by email at alex.klein-paste@ntnu.no and view the high speed videography of the plow blade tests at link here.

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You would think that it wouldn’t be difficult to see something as big as a snowplow but during a winter storm event at night you’d be surprised how hard it is recognize a slow moving maintenance vehicle. In this episode Jeff Pifer, Director of the Equipment Division at the West Virginia Division of Highways discusses techniques that are being used to make snowplows and other maintenance vehicles more conspicuous. Vehicle color, lighting packages, and reflective markings and patterns are the topic of discussion.

Clear Roads has also sponsored several research projects into vehicle conspicuity and you can review this work at their website https://www.clearroads.org/equipment-plow-trucks/

For more information on this topic you can reach out to Jeff Pifer at jeff.m.pifer@wv.gov

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Whenever you mix snowplows, winter storms, and motorists on the same stretch of pavement everyone needs to be at the top of their game in vehicles equipped for conditions. Most of the time folks get where there headed and the roads get cleared without incident. But, there are times when vehicles get tangled up with a snow plow and the outcomes can be catastrophic.

On this episode we’ve got Jed Falgren, State Maintenance Engineer for the Minnesota DOT who’s been involved in some really innovative projects to help reduce the number of interactions between snowplows and motorists from their CAV-Traveler Alert System to reflective materials and lighting.

For more information on MnDOT’s efforts to reduce crashes with snowplows and other slow moving maintenance operations you can reach out directly to Jed at jed.falgren@state.mn.us

Sign up for email notifications on future episodes and other communications associated with winter maintenance and winter weather management by clicking on subscribe on the Talkin' Winter Ops website at TalkinWinterOps.com

Thanks for listening in and stay safe out there!