CE 6505

Structural Design of
Pavement

Lec_ Composite
Pavement_Mechanistic-Empirical (ME)
Composite Pavement
Composite Pavement
Composite Pavement
Composite Pavement
Composite Pavement
MECHANISTIC-
EMPIRICAL
PAVEMENT
DESIGN (ME)?
 What is ME?
• Mechanistic-Empirical pavement design
(ME) is the latest generation of pavement
design methodology
• Mechanistic: uses the theory of mechanics
- pavement response (stresses/strains) to
applied load
• Empirical: observations (actual
performance) used to calibrate the
mechanistic models
 What is ME?
EICM*

* - Enhanced Integrated Climatic Model

Traffic Structure Climate

& Materials

Transfer
Functions

Mechanistic Predicted
Analysis Performance
 What is ME?
AASHTO 1993 Mechanistic-Empirical
Empirical observation from the
Basis 1958-59 AASHO Road Test
Theories of mechanics

SHRP (Strategic HW Research

Original AASHO Road Test – Ottawa,
Prog) test sections from
Calibration Illinois
around the country

Traffic Equivalent Single Axle Load Axle load spectra

Characterization

Materials
Very few Many
Inputs
Integral – weather data from
Climatic Limited – can change inputs
600+ US weather stations
Effects based on season
included

Performance Various distresses, IRI

Present Serviceability Index
Parameter (International roughness index)

Performance prediction
Output Thickness
(distress prediction)
 What is ME?
• Axle Load Spectra
 What is ME?
• Examples of new materials inputs
- Gradations, liquid limit, plasticity index,
optimum water content, etc. of
base/subbase/subgrade
- Thermal properties of the paved surface
(expansion, conductivity, heat capacity)
- Concrete shrinkage (ultimate, reversible,
and time to 50%), unit weight, cement
content, water to cement ratio, etc.
- HMA air voids, binder content, unit
weight, dynamic modulus, creep
compliance, IDT, etc.
What is ME?
Weather Stations
 What is ME?
• Distresses (performance) predicted
over time
– HMA distresses
• Transverse cracking
• Longitudinal cracking (top-down)
• Fatigue cracking (bottom-up)
• Rutting
• IRI
– Concrete distresses
• % slabs cracked
• Faulting
• IRI
 What is ME?
• Iterative design process:
– Enter initial cross-section
– Run the design
– Review the results
– Adjust as necessary until an
acceptable design is found
ME TIMELINE/
WORK TO
DATE
 ME Timeline

AASHTO Pavement
Design Guide NCHRP project 1-
includes NCHRP project 1-37A 37A completed
recommendation to (“AASHTO 2002”)
move toward begins Version 0.8 of the
mechanistic design software

Evaluation of
MDOT Research → 1-37A Project

Concrete
CTE Project
 ME Timeline
Version 1.0 of the
Development
software released Software re-
of commercial DARWin-ME
branded as
version of becomes available
Accepted as Pavement ME
software (2.0) from AASHTO
AASHTO’s interim Design
begins
design method

Evaluation of 1-37A HMA

Project Characterization Packaged as
one project
Concrete Rehab Design
CTE Project Sensitivity
Traffic Characterization
Project ME Calibration
Subgrade Resilient Modulus Project

Unbound Materials Resilient Modulus Project