Method and apparatus for making compacted snow pavements

An apparatus for making compacted snow pavements, the apparatus comprising:

• sliding supports,
• a power generator,
• a heat unit having a working zone and provided with a means for supplying heat to snow mass through the working zone, and
• a means for dynamic compaction, wherein the heat unit is made in the form of at least one separate heat module, the means for supplying heat being made in the form of at least one nozzle aimed at the working zone and mounted so that the direction of heat flow can be changed and the nozzle can be fixed in a predetermined position for mounting the nozzle relative to a vertical axis rotatably in longitudinal and transverse vertical planes.

An apparatus for making compacted snow pavements, the apparatus comprising:

• a front pivotable sliding support,
• a rear sliding support,
• a power generator,
• a heat unit having a working zone and provided with a means for supplying heat to snow mass through the working zone, and
• a means for dynamic compaction, wherein the heat unit is made in the form of at least one separate heat module, and the means for supplying heat is mounted so as to be capable of adjusting intensity of the heat flow while fixing the direction in which it is supplied to the working zone.

An apparatus for making compacted snow pavements, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame, a front pivotable sliding support attached pivotally to the frame, and a rear sliding support attached to the frame,
• a power generator,
• a heat unit having a working zone and provided with a means for supplying heat to snow mass through the working zone, and
• a means for dynamic compaction, wherein
• a system for static compaction is provided that is disposed behind the means for dynamic compaction in the direction of the apparatus travel and comprises a means for adjusting the force applied to the surface being treated and made in the form of a body/bodies disposed movably on the frame.

A method of making a compacted snow pavement, the method comprising the steps of:

• heating snow mass in a heat unit until the mass reaches a moistened condition, and
• compacting the moistened snow mass by means of a compaction system, wherein during heating the snow mass in the heat unit, the exposure temperature is adjusted within the range of 110° C. to 1600° C. in inverse proportion to variations in the ambient temperature and in direct proportion to the travel speed of the apparatus by varying the directional angle and/or intensity of supplying the heat flow to the snow mass, and the moistened snow is compacted in two steps, in which:
• at the step of static compaction, the load applied to the snow mass thus treated is adjusted by varying the force on a rear support, whereupon
• dynamic vibrating compaction is effected so that the frequency of dynamic influence can be adjusted within the range of 0.2 to 1000 Hz.