Local Calibration of MEPDG Using National Center for Asphalt Technology Test Track Data

As states consider implementing the new Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) adopted by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), there is a need to evaluate the nationally-calibrated transfer functions to assess their local applicability and conduct local calibration, if warranted. This investigation utilized a limited number of full-scale sections from the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) Pavement Test Track to conduct evaluation, local calibration and validation of rutting, fatigue cracking and ride quality transfer functions in the MEPDG, respectively. MEPDG input data were collected with the highest level of detail. Distress predictions by the nationally-calibrated models were compared against field measurements to evaluate the model prediction accuracy. Local calibration was then conducted to remove bias and improve model prediction accuracy. Finally, the local calibration was validated by an independent set of data to examine the prediction accuracy of the locally-calibrated models. The evaluation of the nationally-calibrated models showed the fatigue cracking predictions to be adequate while the rutting and International Roughness Index (IRI) models needed improvement. All three were locally calibrated based on the 2003 cycle data which resulted in no statistical differences between measured and predicted pavement distress. The validation of local calibration based on the 2006 cycle data showed the fatigue cracking and rutting predictions to be improved while the IRI predictions were negatively impacted by calibrating the rutting model. Only the locally-calibrated fatigue cracking model resulted in no statistical differences between measured and predicted values. It was recommended that nationally-calibrated models need to be evaluated and calibrated to local conditions before implementation.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AFD60 Flexible Pavement Design. Alternate title: Local Calibration of the MEPDG Using NCAT Test Track Data.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Guo, Xiaolong
  • Timm, David H
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2015-1-11 to 2015-1-15
• Date: 2015

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 15p
• Monograph Title: TRB 94th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Calibration; Fatigue cracking; Mathematical models; Ride quality; Rutting; Test tracks; Transfer functions; Validation
• Identifier Terms: International Roughness Index; Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide; National Center for Asphalt Technology
• Uncontrolled Terms: Local conditions
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01550073
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 15-1032
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 16 2015 8:28AM