Comparative analysis between MERRA and updated MEPDG climate database in the state of Tennessee

The Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) addresses climate effects on pavement design in a comprehensive way, which allows for investigating the effect of climate inputs on pavement performance. However, it requires detailed climate inputs, which might not be available for most of the state DOT. The Updated AASHTOWare climate database encompasses twelve stations in the state of Tennessee, which might not well represent all climatic regions in the state of Tennessee. This study compares and evaluates the performance of pavements in Tennessee using Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) and the updated AASHTOWare databases as a source of MEPDG climate data inputs. A comparative analysis between these two climate data sources using eight LTPP sites in Tennessee was conducted. It was found that using MERRA as a climate data source for the state of Tennessee will offer better geographic coverage and therefore more precise distress predictions are expected.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Year dc:date.available

2019

Author dc:creator

• Ziedan, Abubakr

Contributors dc:contributor

• Onyango, Mbakisya
• Owino, Joseph; Fomunung, Ignatius; Wu, Weidong
• College of Engineering and Computer Science

• Pavements -- Performance
• Pavements -- Climatic factors

Licence

• https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en

Language dc:language

English, eng

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/536

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholar.utc.edu:theses-1689