01033520

Component

This paper describes how environmental factors play an important role in altering the performance of pavements. To account for these factors in design, a computer program that simulates the seasonal effects of climatic changes on pavement materials and subgrade (the Enhanced Integrated Climatic Model (EICM)) was developed. This paper focuses on evaluating the capability of the EICM in order to predict the moisture, temperature and frost action profiles in a pavement system. Field data was obtained from six pavement sections built with different drainable base materials at I-90 in Ashtabula, Ohio. Hourly weather data recorded at an automated weather station located at the site were used as input in this model. Temperature, frost depth and moisture content profiles measured in the field are compared with the profiles predicted by the EICM software for the same simulation period. The results showed that the predicted temperature profile did not match the measured field data, but the range values computed by the model can be considered within an acceptable range. A good match between the predicted and measured frost depth for the unbounded base materials sections was found, but no good match for bounded base materials sections. The ability of the model to predict an accurate moisture content profile could be enhanced by using field materials properties instead of laboratory obtained properties as material inputs for modeling different pavement layers.

01020180

06-2529

English

22p

2006

Transportation Research Board 85th Annual Meeting

CD-ROM

Figures (13) ; References (14) ; Tables (2)

Data collection; Drainage basins; Field tests; Frost action; Moisture content; Pavement design; Pavement layers; Pavement performance; Weather and climate

Enhanced Integrated Climate Model

Ashtabula (Ohio)

Design; Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2006 Paper #06-2529

TRIS, TRB

Mar 3 2006 11:02AM