Engineer: three broad approaches exist for ice mitigation, but each has limits

Matt Chenoweth, national bridge practice leader for RS&H and former MDOT chief bridge engineer, summarized three broad categories of ice mitigation studied for large bridges: mechanical removal (devices or crews that physically break or expel ice), thermal systems (electrical resistance heating, hot air, infrared) and passive design (sheathing shapes, coatings, hydrophobic surfaces). "1 is some sort of mechanical removal of the ice," Chenoweth said while explaining how each approach trades off effectiveness, safety and cost.