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Federal Highway Administration
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Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
Coordinating, Developing, and Delivering Highway Transportation Innovations
REPORT |
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Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-13-089 Date: October 2013 |
Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-13-089 Date: October 2013 |
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This guide addresses the selection and use of axle loading defaults for Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) applications. The defaults were developed based on weigh-in-motion (WIM) data from the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Special Pavement Study (SPS) Transportation Pooled Fund Study (TPF). The guide consists of two parts. The first part provides guidelines for selecting and using LTPP SPS TPF axle loading defaults with the MEPDG and DARWin-ME software. These defaults provide a source of axle loading information for pavement analysis for locations where site-specific axle load spectra are not available. The second part of the guide provides practical guidelines that States and LTPP can use to generate additional MEPDG traffic loading defaults based on their own WIM data or for specific analysis purposes. In addition, this guide contains an operator's manual that supports the use of the LTPP PLUG software. This software helps users select site-specific or default axle loading conditions from its traffic loading library and produces axle load distribution input files for use with the MEPDG or DARWin-ME software. The software can be used to store, view, and group multiple normalized axle load spectra (NALS) and to develop MEPDG inputs and defaults using agency-provided data.
Jorge E. Pagán-Ortiz
Director, Office of Infrastructure
Research and Development
Notice
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The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.
Technical Report Documentation Page
1. Report No.
FHWA-HRT-13-089 |
2. Government Accession No. | 3 Recipient's Catalog No. | ||
4. Title and Subtitle
Long-Term Pavement Performance Pavement Loading User Guide (LTPP PLUG) |
5. Report Date October 2013 |
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6. Performing Organization Code | ||||
7. Author(s)
O.I. Selezneva and M. Hallenbeck |
8. Performing Organization Report No.
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9. Performing Organization Name and Address Applied Research Associates, Inc. |
10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) |
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11. Contract or Grant No.
DTFH61-02-C-00138 |
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12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address
Office of Infrastructure Research and Development |
13. Type of Report and Period Covered
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14. Sponsoring Agency Code
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15. Supplementary Notes Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR): Larry Wiser, HRDI LTPP Data Analysis Contract |
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16. Abstract
This guide addresses the selection and use of axle loading defaults for Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) applications. The defaults were developed based on weigh-in-motion (WIM) data from the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Special Pavement Study (SPS) Transportation Pooled Fund Study (TPF). The guide consists of two parts. The first part provides guidelines for selecting and using LTPP SPS TPF axle loading defaults with the MEPDG and DARWin-ME software. These defaults provide a source of axle loading information for pavement analysis for locations where site-specific axle load spectra are not available. The second part of the guide provides practical guidelines that States and LTPP can use to generate additional MEPDG traffic loading defaults based on their own WIM data or for specific analysis purposes. In addition, this guide contains an operator’s manual that supports the use of the LTPP PLUG software. This software helps users select site-specific or default axle loading conditions from its traffic loading library and produces axle load distribution input files for use with the MEPDG or DARWin-ME software. The software can be used to store, view, and group multiple normalized axle load spectra (NALS) and to develop MEPDG inputs and defaults using agency-provided data. |
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17. Key Words
Long-term performance, Transportation Pooled Fund Study, Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide, weigh-in-motion, load spectra |
18. Distribution Statement
No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161. |
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19. Security Classification Unclassified |
20. Security Classification Unclassified |
21. No. of Pages 98 |
22. Price |
Form DOT F 1700.7 | Reproduction of completed page authorized |
SI* (Modern Metric) Conversion Factors
AADTT | Average Annual Daily Truck Traffic |
AASHTO | American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials |
APC | Axle-per-Truck Coefficient |
ASTM | ASTM International (formerly American Society for Testing and Materials) |
AVC | Automated Vehicle Classification |
DOW | Day-of-the-Week |
ESAL | Equivalent Single-Axle Load |
FHWA | Federal Highway Administration |
GPS | General Pavement Studies |
I | Interstate |
JPCP | Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement |
LTPP | Long-Term Pavement Performance |
MEPDG | Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide |
MPO | Metropolitan Planning Organization |
NALS | Normalized Axle Load Spectra |
NCHRP | National Cooperative Highway Research Program |
PLUG | Pavement Loading User Guide |
QA | Quality Assurance |
QC | Quality Control |
RANALS | Representative Annual Normalized Axle Load Spectra |
RPPIF | Relative Pavement Performance Impact Factor |
RV | Recreational Vehicle |
SHRP | Strategic Highway Research Program |
SPS | Specific Pavement Studies |
TPF | Transportation Pooled-Fund (study) |
TWRG | Truck Weight Road Group |
WIM | Weigh-in-Motion |