Glossary

Aggregate – Naturally occurring hard minerals that are crushed and sized to be used in the makeup of construction materials such as asphalt and concrete. Other common names are gravel, stone, crushed stone, etc.

Anti-icing – The practice of applying deicing chemicals to prevent ice, snow or frost accumulation before a winter storm event as opposed to applying during or after a winter event.

Asphalt – A mixture of petroleum products and aggregate used for surfacing roads, i.e., black top, HMA, hot mix asphalt.

Bridge deck – The road surface of the bridge.

Bridge structure oxidation – A process that causes a bridge to rust or corrode due to the presence of chlorides and oxygen.

Call-outs – Assembling a crew to clear an area of road that has been overcome by a winter weather event (ice, snow, frost, sleet) usually involving some type of deicing measure.

Chloride – Elemental compound, which in the Deicing industry, makes up most salts such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride or magnesium chloride.

Deicer – A substance used to lower the freezing point of the immediate environment, which results in melting snow and ice after it has already accumulated on road surfaces.

DPW – Acronym for "Department of Public Works"

DOT – Acronym for "Department of Transportation"

Epoxy – A strong adhesive substance

Intrusion – A process in which elements, such as water or chlorides, get under the surface of a road and causes it to degrade.

Overlay – A sacrificial coating that generally serves as the driving surface on roads and bridges (i.e., for the surface of a paved road or bridge deck). There are many types of overlays such as concrete, asphalt and epoxies to name a few.

Renewal characteristics – The ability to be restored to its original state

Runoff – To melt or flow, as in melted ice and/or chemicals that flow off of a road surface into the surrounding environment.

Slippage – The distance an automobile slides after the driver brakes to come to an immediate stop.

Snow Belt – Regions of the U.S. that experience extended and regular winter weather events.

Traction characteristics – Gripping power, such as the grip of a tire on a road