Improvement of Climate Data for Use in MEPDG Calibration and Other Pavement Analysis

This study compares the predicted distresses of asphalt concrete (AC) and jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) using four different climate data sources: (1) ground-based weather station (GBWS) data, (2) the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) data, and (3 and 4) the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) versions 1 and 2 (MERRA-1 and MERRA-2) data. The results indicate that pavement performance predictions generated using these data showed disagreement among some of the climate data sources, especially for MERRA-2. Comprehensive diurnal and time-series analyses of the raw climate data found significant disagreements in the percent sunshine data. Percent sunshine is used in the Pavement ME Design environmental effects model to semi-empirically estimate the shortwave radiation reaching the pavement surface, the major driver for pavement heating and cooling. The MERRA-1 and MERRA-2 data independently provide direct predictions of surface shortwave radiation (SSR); these values were found to agree with “ground truth” measurements of SSR from the U.S. Climate Reference Network (USCRN). The direct model predictions of SSR were used to back calculate “synthetic” percent sunshine for input into the Pavement ME Design software. Use of the synthetic percent sunshine derived from predicted SSR eliminated nearly all discrepancies in predicted pavement performance using MERRA-1 vs. MERRA-2 data. Based on these results, the authors recommend SSR rather than percent sunshine to be used as input into the Pavement ME Design software.

• Record URL:
  • http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/16-10.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/40266
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Georgia, Athens

  College of Engineering
  Driftmier Engineering Center
  Athens, Georgia  United States  30602

  Georgia Department of Transportation

  Office of Performance-Based Management and Research
  Forest Park, GA  United States  GA 30297-2534

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Durham, Stephan A
  • Cetin, Bora
  • Schwartz, Charles W
  • Forman, Barton
  • Gopisetti, Leela Sai Praveen
• Publication Date: 2019-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 131p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt concrete pavements; Calibration; Weather stations
• Identifier Terms: AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design (Software); Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide; Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA); North American Regional Reanalysis
• Uncontrolled Terms: Climate data; Jointed plain concrete pavements; Performance prediction
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01704503
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-GA-19-1610
• Contract Numbers: PI#0014920
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: May 7 2019 10:38PM