Automatic System of Maintenance Roads

Automatic System of Maintenance Roads

An automatic system for optimal maintenance of road surfaces according to weather conditions — snow removal, washing, cooling, disinfection (DSRD) — created to streamline snow removal, washing, cooling, disinfection and other measures on areas of public roads where it is located. The system is connected to a SERVER configured to become the central element of the automatic maintenance system (DSRD).

The SERVER sends the commands to the DSRD maintenance system, to determine its start or stop, depending on the existing data and the preset conditions.

I. Technical Advantages

1. Snow removal and thawing

• Making the snow removal activity of the road surfaces more efficient (lower cost), maintaining them in the best possible condition for traffic.
• Timely intervention in case of low temperatures, laying anti-skid material before the occurrence of frost, snow, blizzard, etc., as well as during these phenomena.
• The system is completely automated.
• Disposal of solid non-slip material.
• Elimination of downtime in the application of anti-skid material.
• Elimination of transport and laying of the material with machines or manually.
• Elimination of the need to sweep the non-slip material (sand, stone) from the road.
• Control and monitoring of the quantities of materials used.

2. Washing and cooling

• Cooling of the road and decrease of the temperature felt during the summer.
• Maintaining the road in optimal running parameters for heavy-traffic sectors, roundabouts, curved segments (avoiding destruction of the asphalt carpet in turns).
• Automation of road washing, without using auxiliary equipment and personnel.
• During summertime, a single application achieves both washing and cooling of the road.

II. Economic Advantages

1. Snow removal and thawing

• Reducing snow removal costs through efficient and controlled use of the non-slip material.
• Reduction of material transport costs.
• Reducing the costs of laying non-slip material.
• Elimination of the costs of cleaning the non-slip material left on the side of the road.
• By preventing frost and snow in time, material damage to road users can be avoided by reducing road-accident cases.
• Elimination of parking times and expenses with equipment and personnel during winter.

2. Washing and cooling

• Reducing the costs of washing the road by using an optimal amount, avoiding losses.
• Reduction of costs generated by mechanized washing.

III. Ecological Advantages

1. Snow removal and thawing

• Elimination of NOx emissions from machinery used in the transport and laying of solid anti-skid material.
• Reducing the emissions emitted by cars in case of heavy traffic due to snow deposits, icing, etc.
• Use of environmentally friendly solutions.
• Reduction of dust resulting from classical methods, dust brought by wind or vehicles on the road.
• Reducing body corrosion due to salt currently used — positive impact on the environment (vegetation, animals, people).

This system can also come with the following upgrades:

• Creation of buffer tanks that can be used for irrigation — helping the environment through the development of plants (via humidity) on the side of roads, reducing pollution and creating a barrier that stops toxicity to the population.
• Creation of buffer tanks that can be used to extinguish fires.
• Water removal updates in case of heavy rains and floods.

IV. Social Benefits

• Snow removal: By acting in time with anti-skid material, a series of road accidents can be avoided, reducing the risk of personal injury or death of road users; high-flow traffic on the segments where this system is implemented.
• Washing and cooling: Creating thermal comfort felt by the citizen by cooling the road.
• Disinfection: Disinfection of tires, roads, and pedestrian footwear in case of epidemics and pandemics; delimitation and isolation of certain outbreak areas.

Actions

a) Snow removal and prevention of icing

This action prevents snow deposits and/or icing on the road sections where the AUTOMATIC MAINTENANCE SYSTEM (DSRD) is located. The severe-weather warning system receives the warning and the snow-type code, and gives the command via the communicator in the pumping group to pump anti-skid material over the entire section. The anti-skid material is sprayed over the whole public road surface by nozzles. Depending on the color of the warning code, the amount of precipitation is indicated, and the system's operating time and duration are set accordingly. This pre-emptively prevents the road from being snowed on, streamlining traffic and reducing the risk of accidents and traffic jams. In cold weather, at a preset threshold the system starts distributing material to prevent ice. The same applies in blizzard conditions, where the system acts to melt windblown snow.

b) Washing

This action washes and cleans the roads when necessary. It can be established and communicated by the road administrator where the automatic optimal maintenance system (DSRD) is implemented. The solution used to wash the road is also established by the administrator of the road segment.

c) Cooling

This action cools the roads on hot days. As with icing prevention, the system uses data collected from each location through the server, and can operate the section or sections related to each METEO system. Starting parameters can be preset according to the road administrator's needs, maintaining an optimum temperature on the tread and preventing damage.

d) Disinfection

This action disinfects public or private roads at the request of local or central authorities in case of epidemics and pandemics, preventing the spread of pathogens on the road. Various chemicals are distributed to eradicate pathogens and disinfect tires. This system can also be used to disinfect pedestrian shoes when crossing.