TRB Pubsindex
Text Size:
x

« Prev Next »

Return to Results | New Search

Bookmark and Share

Title:

Calback: Enhancing Caltrans Mechanistic-Empirical Design Process With New Backcalculation Software
Cover of Calback: Enhancing Caltrans Mechanistic-Empirical Design Process With New Backcalculation Software

Accession Number:

01090302

Record Type:

Component

Availability:

Transportation Research Board Business Office

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Abstract:

Until recently, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) procedures for pavement design and rehabilitation have been largely based on empirical approaches developed from road test sections built in California in the 1940s. While Caltrans empirical procedures performed generally well over time, they are limited in their ability to benefit from the vast number of emerging products, construction practices, and design innovations. In 1996, California initiated an extensive project to develop Mechanistic-Empirical (ME) design and analysis tools in order to benefit from these new products, practices, and technologies. These tools will help state design engineers incorporate the impact of new products and technologies, increased traffic volumes and axle loading, various axle configurations, and variable climatic conditions. As part of the development of new ME design procedures, Caltrans is developing a suite of dedicated software. CalME is an ME design program for flexible pavements that parallels the NCHRP 1-37A (MEPDG) and is calibrated for California conditions. CalBack is a sophisticated backcalculation program that contains specific features pertinent to California and is designed to work as a standalone, or in concert with CalME. This paper describes the successful development and implementation of CalBack in three ways: (1) why and how Caltrans developed CalBack; (2) how CalBack functions; and (3) a representative study that shows how well the software works. Results from numerous projects, including the case study presented in this paper, show that CalBack is highly capable of delivering accurate and repeatable results for the practitioner and researcher.

Monograph Accession #:

01084478

Report/Paper Numbers:

08-2303

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Authors:

Lu, Qing
Signore, James M
Basheer, Imad
Ghuzlan, Khalid
Ullidtz, Per

Pagination:

18p

Publication Date:

2008

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 87th Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2008-1-13 to 2008-1-17
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

DVD

Features:

Figures; Photos; References (12)

Geographic Terms:

California

Subject Areas:

Data and Information Technology; Design; Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2008 Paper #08-2303

Files:

PRP, TRIS, TRB

Created Date:

Jan 29 2008 4:39PM