Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Material data is one of the most important input data required for structural design of pavements using mechanistic-empirical (ME) analysis. ME methods require fundamental material properties such as the modulus of elasticity of road building materials to conduct calculation of pavement response under load as well as prediction of long-term damage development. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) has been conducting a R&D program called VegDim in the last seven years to develop and implement a mechanistic -empirical pavement design and analysis system. This work was conducted in cooperation with the Swedish Transport Administration (STA), the Swedish Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI), and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). An ME pavement design and analysis system called ERAPave PP was further developed and is currently being implemented in Norway. ERAPave PP was originally developed by VTI and is based on multi-layer elastic theory. The necessary input material properties data must be acquired by testing either in the laboratory or using non-destructive testing in the field and back-calculation. An extensive testing of asphalt mixtures was conducted to obtain the dynamic modulus data for the commonly used asphalt mixtures in Norway. In addition, using back-calculation from deflection measurement and some results from previous studies, the stiffness moduli of unbound granular materials and subgrade were estimated A material database was established and integrated into the ERAPave PP program. It is demonstrated that the database will make the implementation of the design system easier since the users will not need to do material testing if they use the conventional materials included in the database, which will lead to significant saving in time and resources. This paper describes the material preparation, testing, construction of dynamic modulus master curves for various asphalt mixtures, and the establishment and utilization of a material database in ME pavement design and analysis setting.
Source: Transportation research procedia
Authors: Rabbira Garba Saba, Brynhild Snilsberg
Institution: Norwegian Public Roads Administration
Language: English
Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7204174644