AIDC project number: 510019
Dave Barnes
Midwest Industrial Supply, Inc.
Dust control in many rural Alaska communities is becoming a priority. Since we have started research along with the AKDOT&PF and ADEC on controlling dust from unpaved transportation systems (roads and runways) in rural regions (primarily in rural Alaska but also applicable to any rural or urban area), we have truly engaged rural communities. Rural residents are seeing how controlling dust can improve their health, safety, and quality of life. As we work with community leaders on controlling dust in their villages, they often ask us about the longevity and performance of different types of palliatives. These are questions that we have started to try to answer through application and assessment. To answer these questions we have developed an instrument and a methodology for field based measurement of palliative performance. Further, we have tested different palliatives at multiple sites throughout Alaska. Two main products that has been successfully applied in Alaska is EK35 developed by Midwest Industrial Supply, Inc and Durasoil, manufactured by Soilworks©, LLC. The ADOT&PF has used the products on several airfields and roads in Alaska giving us a unique opportunity to monitor the effectiveness over time of these products, which will allow us to determine the longevity. As an example of how these products perform, multiple years testing of two different products applied on the runways on a village road and on a village runway are shown within the proposal. It is clear that in these two cases the effectiveness of one product after one year is still high, while the other product is still performing well, but at a slightly lower level than after application. To truly understand the longevity of these products we need multiple years of testing at these and other locations. Additionally, we would like to better understand why some applications of the same product do not perform as well as others. A laboratory based testing method may be beneficial in determining if a palliative is going to perform well prior to applying the palliative. If such a test method correlates well with our field based measurements in the future we will be able to make predictions as to the possible performance of palliative prior to application, allowing adjustment of application rates if necessary. The objective of the work proposed here are as follows: (1) to further our understanding of palliative performance by measuring the performance of different palliatives applied in several villages in Alaska, (2) adopt or develop a laboratory testing method that can be used to predict palliative performance prior to application, and (3) correlate results from the laboratory based testing method to field based measurements at locations that will have palliative placed in 2011. Results from this research will provide us with additional tools (laboratory procedure) and additional knowledge on palliative performance in order for us to make good decisions on improving the quality of life in rural areas.
