Evaluating Pavement Surface Temperature Prediction Models in Determining Soil Thermal Profile Below Pavement Surface

Numerical modelling of geotechnical problems has become an essential tool to understand soil behavior. However, problems that involve interaction with pavement surface temperature are complex to model. Heat transfer at the pavement surface involves a combination of conductive, convective, and radiative heat transfer modes which are difficult to measure at pavement surface. Therefore, accuracy in defining the pavement surface temperature as the surface boundary condition of numerical models will increase the accuracy of predicting soil thermal profile. Soil thermal profile is important since it can assist in analyzing geotechnical problems like frost heave, frost depth, permafrost degradation, and differential settlement due to thaw. In general, the n-factor model, which is the ratios of the freezing and thawing indices of the pavement divided by the freezing and thawing indices of air, is widely used in predicting pavement surface temperature from air temperature. Furthermore, other models such as the LTPP-Bind, SHRP and C-SHRP models were developed to predict thermal profile of pavement from air temperature to help in the selection of asphalt mix binder. In this paper, LTPP-Bind, SHRP/C-SHRP and n-factor models were used to predict pavement surface temperatures. The pavement surface temperatures calculated from the n-factor, LTPP-Bind, SHRP and C-SHRP models were used in a numerical model to predict the soil thermal profiles. The accuracy of the models in predicting soil thermal profiles were compared with measured field data. The results of the analysis found that the n-factor and C-SHRP models provided promising results in predicting subsurface thermal profile.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AFP50 Standing Committee on Seasonal Climatic Effects on Transportation Infrastructure. Alternate title: Evaluating Pavement Surface Temperature Prediction Models in Determining Soil Thermal Profile Below Pavement Surface in Cold Regions.
• Authors:
  • Moussa, Ahmed
  • Kavanagh, Leonne
  • Shalaby, Ahmed
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2018-1-7 to 2018-1-11
• Date: 2018

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 21p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Heat transfer; Mathematical models; Mathematical prediction; Pavements; Surface temperature
• Identifier Terms: Canadian Strategic Highway Research Program (C-SHRP); Long-Term Pavement Performance Program; Strategic Highway Research Program
• Uncontrolled Terms: Soil thermal profiles
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01661583
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 18-05078
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 28 2018 1:25PM