Development of Traffic Inputs for the New ME Pavement Design Guide: A Case Study
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Date
2011-01Author
Momin, Shariq
Romanoschi, Stefan
Bethu, Sagar
Bendana, Luis
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Show full item recordAbstract
Vehicle classification and axle load data are required for the structural
design of new and rehabilitated flexible and rigid pavements with the
new Mechanistic–Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) developed
under NCHRP Project 1-37A. The axle load spectra are determined
from traffic data collected at weigh-in-motion (WIM) stations, and
vehicle count and class data are recorded by vehicle classification
stations. Some preliminary results are presented for an extensive traffic
data-processing effort conducted to develop traffic inputs required
by the MEPDG to design pavements in New York State. The data
collected by classification and WIM sites from 2004 to 2009 were
processed with the TrafLoad software developed in NCHRP Project
1-39. The discussion focuses on the variability of the major traffic
input variables required by the MEPDG, as obtained from data collected
in New York State, and on the differences between the data
obtained from individual stations, state average values, and the default
values recommended by the MEPDG, where applicable. The effect of
variability of the major traffic input variables on the performance predicted
by the MEPDG for a typical flexible pavement structure is also
discussed.