2013 Session: 267

• Twenty-Five Years of Performance: Validation of Illinois Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design on US-20 and US-50
  Abstract: In the summer of 1986 the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) built four demonstration sections to validate the proposed mechanistically-based pavement design procedures. Multiple variables were taken into consideration in order to determine a valid correlation between pavement design inputs and pavement performance. After 25 years of service, these sections have provided great value to IDOT in the development of the pavement design procedures, policies and standards, and in general a better understanding of the mechanics of pavement performance. The knowledge acquired from the four sections supports IDOT’s practice in the use of performance graded binders, joint spacing in jointed concrete pavements, jointed concrete and full-depth hot-mix asphalt pavement thickness design, and subgrade selection. This study has validated IDOT’s mechanistic pavement design procedure, proving that the theory behind the 1986 design was correct. Since then, these sections and extensive laboratory testing and investigation have allowed IDOT to further refine the mechanistic pavement design procedure to include more accurate material properties. In addition to improving design procedure, having 25 years of data and observing the deterioration and rehabilitation of certain sections have allowed IDOT to fine tune the maintenance models to improve pavement type selection between flexible and rigid alternatives.
  Authors: Pava, Juan David
  Authors: Pava, Juan David
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Design; Pavements
  Session: 267
  Paper Number: 13-1036
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Local Calibration Studies on DARWin-ME/Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement Performance Prediction Models
  Abstract: The AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) pavement performance models and the associated AASHTOWare® pavement design software of DARWin-ME are nationally calibrated using design inputs and distress data largely from the national Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP). Further calibration and validation studies are necessary for local highway agencies’ implementation by taking into account local materials, traffic information, and environmental conditions. This study aims to improve the accuracy of MEPDG/ DARWin-ME pavement performance predictions for Iowa pavement systems through local calibration of MEPDG prediction models. A total of 70 sites for both jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) and Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) pavement representing Iowa conditions were selected. The accuracy of the nationally calibrated MEPDG prediction models for Iowa conditions was evaluated. The local calibration factors of MEPDG performance prediction models were identified using both linear and nonlinear optimization approaches. The local calibration improved the accuracy of JPCP performance predictions and HMA rutting predictions. A comparison of MEPDG predictions with those from DARWin-ME was performed to assess if the local calibration coefficients determined from MEPDG version 1.1 software are acceptable in DARWin-ME, which has not been addressed before. Few differences are observed between DARWin-ME and MEPDG with national and local calibrated models for: (1) faulting and transverse cracking predictions for JPCP, and (2) rutting, alligator cracking and smoothness predictions for HMA. With the use of locally calibrated JPCP smoothness (IRI) prediction model for Iowa conditions, the prediction differences between DARWin-ME and MEPDG are reduced. Finally, recommendations are presented on the use of identified local calibration coefficients of DARWin-ME/MEPDG for Iowa pavement systems.
  Authors: Kim, Sunghwan; Ceylan, Halil; Di, Ma; Gopalakrishnan, Kasthurirangan
  Authors: Kim, Sunghwan; Ceylan, Halil; Di, Ma; Gopalakrishnan, Kasthurirangan
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Design; Pavements
  Session: 267
  Paper Number: 13-2667
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Global Sensitivity Analysis of Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement Mechanistic-Empirical Performance Predictions
  Abstract: The new AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) provides pavement analysis and performance predictions under various “what-if” scenarios. The MEPDG performance predictions for the anticipated climatic and traffic conditions will depend on the values of the input parameters that characterize the pavement materials, layers, design features, and condition. This paper proposes comprehensive global sensitivity analyses (GSA) methodology to evaluate jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) performance predictions to MEPDG inputs under five climatic conditions and three traffic levels. MEPDG inputs evaluated in the analyses include traffic volume, layer thicknesses, material properties, groundwater depth, geometric parameters, and others. Correlations among MEPDG inputs were considered where appropriate. The GSA varied all inputs simultaneously across the entire problem domain for each of the 15 base cases (5 climates x 3 traffic levels). Two response surface modeling (RSM) approaches, multivariate linear regressions (MVLR) and artificial neural networks (ANN or NN), were developed to model the GSA results for evaluation of MEPDG input sensitivities across the entire problem domain. The ANN-based RSMs developed for the MEPDG JPCP performance predictions not only provide robust and accurate representations of the complex relationships between MEPDG inputs and distress outputs but also capture the variation of sensitivities across the problem domain. The design limit normalized sensitivity index (NSI) proposed in this study provides practical interpretation of sensitivity relating a given percentage change in a MEPDG input to the corresponding percentage change in predicted distress relative to its design limit value.
  Authors: Ceylan, Halil; Gopalakrishnan, Kasthurirangan; Kim, Sunghwan; Schwartz, Charles W.; Li, Rui
  Authors: Ceylan, Halil; Gopalakrishnan, Kasthurirangan; Kim, Sunghwan; Schwartz, Charles W.; Li, Rui
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Design; Pavements
  Session: 267
  Paper Number: 13-2690
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Design Method for Concrete Pavements with Short Slabs Based on Westergaard’s Equations and Dimensional Analysis
  Abstract: A method was developed for designing concrete pavements with short slabs. The stress analysis is based on Westergaard’s equations, modified by corrections factors. The damage analysis uses the MEPDG distress models, calibrated to local field sections constructed in Chile. Three test sections were constructed between 2004 and 2006, and their performance monitored. The slab sizes ranged from 1.2 to 1.75 m. The thicknesses varied between 8 and 15 cm. The performance of thinner slabs was poor. The thicker slabs, however showed promising results. The main distress observed in most cases was longitudinal cracking, followed by transverse and corner cracking. The three types of distresses were included in the proposed design method. The monitored distresses and traffic in the test sections was used for calibration of the distress models for each type of cracking in the design method. The method developed is a relatively simple procedure for the design of concrete pavements with short slabs.
  Authors: Salsilli, Ricardo; Wahr, Carlos; Delgadillo, Rodrigo; Huerta, Jose; Sepulveda, Paulina
  Authors: Salsilli, Ricardo; Wahr, Carlos; Delgadillo, Rodrigo; Huerta, Jose; Sepulveda, Paulina
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Design; Pavements
  Session: 267
  Paper Number: 13-5220
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Twenty-Five Years of Performance: Validation of Illinois Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design on US-20 and US-50
  Authors: Pava, Juan
  Authors: Pava, Juan
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Design; Pavements
  Session: 267
  Paper Number: 13-1036
• Local Calibration Studies on DARWin-ME/Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement Performance Prediction Models
  Authors: Ceylan, Halil
  Authors: Ceylan, Halil
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Design; Pavements
  Session: 267
  Paper Number: 13-2667
• Global Sensitivity Analysis of Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement Mechanistic-Empirical Performance Predictions
  Authors: Ceylan, Halil
  Authors: Ceylan, Halil
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Design; Pavements
  Session: 267
  Paper Number: 13-2690
• Design Method for Concrete Pavements with Short Slabs Based on Westergaard's Equations and Dimensional Analysis
  Authors: Delgadillo, Rodrigo
  Authors: Delgadillo, Rodrigo
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Design; Pavements
  Session: 267
  Paper Number: 13-5220