Enhancements of Climatic Inputs and Related Models for Pavement ME Using LTPP Climate Tool (MERRA-2)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications version 2 (MERRA-2 ) utilized data from the Earth Observing System satellites to improve precipitation and water vapor climatology beginning in 1979. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) have adopted its use and translated the variables into civil engineering applications, specifically 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 ME Design (Pavement ME). AASHTO will soon use MERRA-2 climatic data for AASHTOWare applications. MERRA-2 data sets include accurate hourly solar radiation values based on measured cloud-covered fractions which can significantly improve the accuracy of predicted pavement temperatures. Studies reveal challenges in matching the predictions from the Enhanced Integrated Climatic Model (EICM) with field observations and pavement performance. Variations in measurement of climatic attributes have also been reported to Operating Weather Stations (OWS). 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. Available data categories include: temperature, precipitation, surface pressure, cloud cover, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. The objectives of this project are to (1) evaluate the impact of using NASA's Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications version 2 (MERRA-2) through the FHWA LTPP Climate Tool to improve the climatic inputs and related models for Pavement ME; (2) enhance and simplify climate input parameters for Pavement ME that can be implemented by transportation agencies; and (3) develop climate-related models based on identified parameter enhancements.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=4413

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $350000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-50(21)

• 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, Incorporated

  811 Spring Forest Road, Suite 100
  Raleigh, NC  United States  27609-9199
• Principal Investigators:

  Brink, Wouter

• Start Date: 20180824
• Expected Completion Date: 20231130
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• Source Data: RiP Project 41743

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asset management; Calibration; Climate; Evaluation and assessment; Mathematical prediction; Mechanistic-empirical pavement design; Moisture content; Pavement management systems; Pavement performance; Solar radiation
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Pavements; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01640232
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-50(21)
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Jul 4 2017 10:18AM