User's guide: estimation of key PCC, base, subbase, and pavement engineering properties from routine tests and physical characteristics

2012Interim report.PDFTech ReportFHWA-HRT-12-031DTFH61-02-C-00138PavementsPortland cement concretePavement designModulus of elasticityFlexural strengthTensile strengthThermal expansionCompressive strengthMathematical predictionPavementsLTPPMaterial propertiesMEPDGPrediction modelIndex propertiesUnited StatesTurner-Fairbank Highway Research CenterRao, C.Titus-Glover, L.Bhattacharya, B.Darter, M.I.Applied Research Associates, Inc.United States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Infrastructure Research and DevelopmentNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-MaterialsNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-Pavement Management and PerformanceFederal Highway AdministrationMaterial characterization is a critical component of modern day pavement analysis, design, construction, qualitycontrol/quality assurance, management, and rehabilitation. At each stage during the life of a project, the influence ofseveral fundamental engineering material parameters on the long-term performance of the pavement can be predictedusing advanced tools like the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). Consequently, there is a need for more information about materialproperties, which are addressed only to a limited extent with currently available resources for performing laboratoryand field testing. Reliable correlations between material parameters and index properties offer a cost-effectivealternative and are equivalent to the level 2 MEPDG inputs. The Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) databaseprovides data suitable for developing predictive models for Portland cement concrete (PCC) materials, stabilizedmaterials, and unbound materials, as well as other design-related inputs for the MEPDG. This user\u2019s guide provides asummary of the models developed, describes their applications for specific project conditions, and lists theirlimitations. The following models are included:\u2022 PCC materials: Compressive strength, flexural strength, elastic modulus, tensile strength, and coefficient ofthermal expansion.\u2022 Stabilized materials: Elastic modulus of lean concrete base.\u2022 Unbound materials: Resilient modulus of fine-grained and coarse-grained materials.\u2022 Rigid pavement design features: Pavement curl/wrap effective temperature difference for jointed plainconcrete pavement and continuously reinforced concrete pavement designs