MPC Research Reports
Report Details

Title:	The Effect of Environmental Factors on the Implementation of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide
Authors:	George Abraham Dzotepe and Khaled Ksaibati
University:	University of Wyoming
Publication Date:	Jul 2011
Report #:	MPC-10-225B
TRID #:	01354595
Keywords:	climate, deformation, environment, implementation, pavement design, pavement performance, paving materials, strain (mechanics), stresses, traffic characteristics

Abstract

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 implementaion 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.

Related Reports

• [Final Report] Implementation of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide

How to Cite

Dzotepe, George Abraham, and Khaled Ksaibati. The Effect of Environmental Factors on the Implementation of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG), MPC-10-225B. North Dakota State University - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, Fargo: Mountain-Plains Consortium, 2011.