In order to investigate ice melting properties of road deicers with chemical types, theoretical comparison using performance index (PI) [1] and experimental analysis were carried out. In the theoretical comparison using PI, differences in melting ice performance properties were shown with chemical types and temperature ranges. Sodium chloride (NaCl) showed the best melting performance at -1.5~-3.5℃, but lower PI than other chemicals (CaCl2 and MgCl2) at lower temperature than -4.5℃. Calcium chloride (CaCl2) showed the best PI at lower than - 6.5℃, and at higher than -1.5℃, but the lowest PI at -1.5~-4.5℃. Magnesium chloride (MgCl2) showed the best performance at -3.5~-6.5℃, but the lowest PI at higher temperature than -1.5℃. PI can be regarded as a representative index for melting ice performance of liquid deicer, however, it is not enough to evaluate that of solid deicer, because the effect of heat of solution is not considered in PI. In the experimental analysis, comparison for ice melting performance between solid and liquid deicers was mainly carried out. Solid calcium chloride showed very good persistency and quick-acting property by the effect of heat of solution. Solid sodium chloride has no quick-acting property, but very good persistency at a mild temperature (-3℃), whereas ice melting performance declined greatly at severely low temperature (-11℃). Liquid sodium chloride and calcium chloride showed somewhat good quick-acting property, but inferior persistency to solid ones.

• Chan-Young Lee(Korea Expressway Corporation Research Institute)