The Effect of Environmental Factors on the Implementation of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG)

Current pavement design based on the AASHTO Design Guide uses an empirical approach from the results of the AASHO Road Test conducted in 1958. To address some of the limitations of the original design guide, AASHTO developed a new guide: Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). This guide combines the mechanistic and empirical methodology by making use of calculations of pavement responses such as stress, strains, and deformations using site specific inputs from climate, material, and traffic properties. With the new guide, various implementation challenges need to be overcome by agencies wanting to facilitate its use. In this respect, the MEPDG is currently undergoing several validation and calibration research studies, which are in the areas of materials, climate and traffic characteristics. It is anticipated that the findings from the various research studies will facilitate the implementation of the MEPDG nationwide. This study summarizes the challenges that are likely to impede implementation of the MEPDG within the Northwest Region and how these can be overcome. The study also investigates the effects of climate variables on the predicted pavement performance indicators and, in addition, evaluates the adequacy of using interpolated climate data on pavement performance in the state of Wyoming.

• Record URL:
  https://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/details.php?id=695
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/23134
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Wyoming, Laramie

  Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering
  1000 East University Avenue
  Laramie, WY  United States  82071

  Mountain-Plains Consortium

  North Dakota State University
  Fargo, ND  United States  58108

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Dzotepe, George Abraham
  • Ksaibati, Khaled
  • 0000-0002-9241-1792
• Publication Date: 2011-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 191p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Climate; Deformation; Environment; Implementation; Pavement design; Pavement performance; Paving materials; Strain (Mechanics); Stresses; Traffic characteristics
• Identifier Terms: Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide
• Geographic Terms: Northwestern United States; Wyoming
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01354595
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: MPC Report No. 10-225B
• Files: UTC, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 21 2011 7:38AM