INTEGRATED COMPUTER MODEL TO ESTIMATE MOISTURE AND TEMPERATURE EFFECTS BENEATH PAVEMENTS

The Integrated Model, developed for highway engineers involved in pavement design and management, provides a computer simulation of climatic effects on the behavior of pavement materials and subgrade conditions or characteristics over several years of operation of either asphaltic concrete or portland cement pavements. The results indicate that reasonable predictions of moisture and temperature conditions, frost penetration and heave, thaw weakening, and the accompanying effect on pavement moduli can be achieved. An overview of the model is provided and some typical results for two climatic regions in the United States are presented. The input variables were reduced to a minimum number and were assembled so that they were input in a free format on input user screens that appear sequentially in the course of data entry. Climatic data have been assembled and processed within the files of the program so that users are relieved of obtaining and entering large quantities of this information. At the same time, users can enter their own data if available. Carefully selected default options that are representative of material properties of many typical highway pavement structures may be used, or a compendium of alternative data for a variety of soils based on texture and index properties is provided in the User's Manual. Deep ground temperatures and moisture conditions can be estimated from regional maps supplied in the Manual. These features should make the Integrated Model attractive to most highway design offices. The results of this simulation procedure will provide an important contribution to the complex process of assessing climatic effects on pavement design and management.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1990/1286/1286-024.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=INTEGRATED+COMPUTER+MODEL+TO+ESTIMATE+MOISTURE+AND+TEMPERATURE+EFFECTS+BENEATH+PAVEMENTS&author=D.+PUFAHL&author=R.+Lytton&author=H.+Liang&publication_year=1990
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309050707
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1286, Design and Evaluation of Rigid and Flexible Pavements 1990. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • PUFAHL, D E
  • Lytton, R L
  • Liang, H S
• Publication Date: 1990

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 259-269
• Monograph Title: Design and evaluation of rigid and flexible pavements
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1286
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt concrete; Asphalt pavements; Climate; Concrete pavements; Estimating; Frost; Frost heaving; Pavement design; Pavement management systems; Portland cement concrete; Simulation; Soil water; Strength of materials; Subgrade (Pavements); Temperature; Thaw
• Uncontrolled Terms: Frost penetration; Thaw weakening
• Old TRIS Terms: Frost heave; Subgrade moisture
• Subject Areas: Design; Geotechnology; Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces; I42: Soil Mechanics;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00607743
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309050707
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Apr 30 1991 12:00AM