In snowfall regions, ice accretion/accumulation is a potential hazard in various industries including transportation, aircraft/aerospace, marine, power transmission (ground wires, phase conductors and insulators), power production (wind turbines, buildings, electrical distribution, telecommunications and agriculture), automotive, outdoor sports facilities, solar cells, etc.
Due to extreme weather conditions in cold climate regions, utmost care is needed while driving on roads during winter months. Icefall and snow accumulation disrupt day-to-day activities and effectively curtail road transportation. There is a tremendous amount of research work being conducted in cold regions, such as the northern U.S. and Canada, as well as the rest of the cold countries around the globe.1,2 Ice accumulation can cause hazardous road conditions and stall road transportation. For normal traffic flow and safer mobility, measures are needed for de-icing or anti-icing of accumulated ice on roads.