Fact Sheet
US Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center
January 2004
Public Affairs Office
3909 Halls Ferry Road
Vicksburg, MS 39180-6199
(601) 634-2504
http://www.wes.army.mil
Solutions to Icing and Ice Congestion at Navigation Locks
Purpose: To develop and demonstrate low cost ice control methods on a large scale at ice-
affected locks.
Background: Ice interferes with winter operations many Corps locks. Common problems in-
clude congestion of lock approaches and lock chambers with broken ice pieces (brash ice) and
icing of lock walls and miter gates. As a result, full lock dimensions are often unavailable, forc-
ing tow size restrictions that can reduce waterway capacity by as much as 50%. While ice lock-
ages and high flow bubblers help clear brash ice from the lock chamber, effective low cost solu-
tions to lock wall icing do not exist. A number of innovative icing solutions have been evaluated
at small scale (e.g., heat panels, low-adhesion materials, and electro-expulsive shedding), but no
method has yet proved effective or economical for large areas. Because new lock construction
and major rehabs are planned at ice-affected locations, this technology gap must be filled.
Facts: Existing ice control methods and recent gains have been evaluated, and most promising
methods identified. The ice adhesion strength of paints, coatings and materials for use at naviga-
tion structures has been measured, and an electro-expulsion deicing panel has been successfully
tested at Starved Rock Lock on the Illinois Waterway. With Bridgestone USA, CRREL has de-
veloped a prototype inflatable lock wall deicer, to be field-tested at a Corps project next winter.
CRREL also assisted Pittsburgh District in the deicing design for floating guardwall at the new
Charleroi Lock. For the Detroit District, CRREL is developing ice control measures for the
planned 1200 ft lock at the Soo.
Inflatable lock wall deicer prototype
Electro-expulsion deicer on lock wall
Point of Contact: For additional information, please contact Andrew Tuthill at 603-646-4225
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