Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Model: Enhancements of Climatic Inputs

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications version 2 (MERRA-2) has used data from Earth Observing System satellites to enhance precipitation and water vapor climatology since 1979. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) have adopted MERRA-2, integrating its variables into civil engineering applications, particularly pavement design. FHWA’s Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Climate Tool provides access to the MERRA-2 database and generates site-specific climate data in compatible formats for AASHTO Pavement Mechanistic-Empirical (Pavement ME) Design. MERRA-2 data provides opportunities for enhancements to the climatic parameters and climatic module calculations for pavement design using Pavement ME. It provides improved climatology, higher frequency outputs including hourly data updates, and additional locations beyond the United States. Additionally, studies have shown the impediments in aligning parameters from the Enhanced Integrated Climatic Model with field observations and pavement performance, as well as variations in climatic attribute measurements reported by Operating Weather Stations. Research was needed to develop climate-related models based on identified parameter enhancements that could be implemented into state agencies’ asset and pavement management systems. Under NCHRP Project 20-50(21)A, “Enhancements of Climatic Inputs and Related Models for Pavement ME Using LTPP Climate Tool (MERRA-2),” Applied Research Associates, Inc. was asked to evaluate the impact of using NASA’s MERRA-2 to improve the climatic inputs and related models for Pavement ME that can be implemented by transportation agencies. The research included a synopsis for an implementation plan of the research findings in collaboration with AASHTO/AASHTOWare.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5647
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Official Publication Release Date is 07/14/2025 as NCHRP Research Report 1151: Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Model: Enhancements of Climatic Inputs. The National Academies Press URL for the report will be https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/29125.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $270,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-50(21)A

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  McKenney, Christopher

• Performing Organizations:

  Applied Research Associates, Inc.

  100 Trade Centre Drive, Ste 200
  Champaign, IL  United States  61820-7233
• Principal Investigators:

  Brink, Wouter

• Start Date: 20240515
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20250117

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Climate; Mechanistic-empirical pavement design; Pavement management systems; Pavement performance; Predictive models
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01911692
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-50(21)A
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Mar 12 2024 10:52AM