Within the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program, two sources of data are used to characterize the climatic conditions for each test section. For the majority of the test sections, data for nearby national weather stations are obtained from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and are used to compute estimated data for a virtual test section located at the test section. In addition, onsite instrumentation is used to obtain site-specific climatic data for the test sections included in the Seasonal Monitoring Program and for the Specific Pavement Studies (SPS)–1, –2, and –8 project sites.
This report documents a study undertaken to examine the reliability and accuracy of the LTPP climatic data. The study confirmed that accurate daily, monthly, and yearly estimates of climatic data for a project location can be derived by using the NCDC weather data for several nearby weather stations. The variation in the climatic data also was characterized.
Gary L. Henderson
Director, Office of Infrastructure
Research and Development
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1. Report No FHWA-RD-03-092 |
2. Government Accession No. N/A |
3. Recipient's Catalog No. N/A |
4. Title and Subtitle Verification of Long-Term Pavement Performance Virtual Weather Stations: Phase I Report—Accuracy and Reliability of Virtual Weather Stations |
5. Report Date May 2006 |
6. Performing Organization Code N/A |
7. Authors(s) Alaeddin Mohseni, Ph.D., P.E. |
8. Performing Organization Report No. N/A |
9. Performing Organization Name and Address Alaeddin Mohseni, Ph.D., P.E. 6105 Maiden Lane Bethesda, MD 20817 |
10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) N/A |
11. Contract or Grant No. DTFH61-95-Z-00086 |
13. Type of Report and Period Covered Final Report March 2001–January 2002 |
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Office of Research and Technology Services Federal Highway Administration 6300 Georgetown Pike McLean, VA 22101 |
14. Sponsoring Agency Code |
15. Supplementary Notes Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR): Monte Symons, HRDI-13 |
16. Abstract Within the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program, two sources of data are used to characterize the climatic conditions for each test section. For the majority of the test sections, data for nearby national weather stations are obtained from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and are used to compute estimated data for a virtual test section located at the test section. In addition, onsite instrumentation is used to obtain site-specific climatic data for the test sections included in the Seasonal Monitoring Program and for the Specific Pavement Studies (SPS) –1, –2, and –8 project sites.
This report documents a study undertaken to examine the reliability and accuracy of the LTPP climatic data. The study confirmed that accurate daily, monthly, and yearly estimates of climatic data for a project location can be derived by using the NCDC weather data for several nearby weather stations. The variation in the climatic data was also characterized. |
17. Key Words
Pavements, weather stations, LTPP, climatic data, temperature, precipitation. |
18. Distribution Statement
No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161. |
19. Security Classif. (of this report) Unclassified |
20. Security Classif. (of this page)
Unclassified |
21. No. of Pages
91 |
22. Price N/A |
Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized (art. 5/94)
AASHTO |
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials |
AC |
asphalt concrete |
ACI |
American Concrete Institute |
ASTM |
American Society for Testing and Materials |
CN |
construction numbers |
CPR |
concrete pavement restoration |
CRCP |
continuously reinforced concrete pavement |
ESAL |
equivalent single axle load |
FHWA |
Federal Highway Administration |
FWD |
falling weight deflectometer |
GPS |
General Pavement Studies |
HMAC |
Hot-mix asphalt concrete |
IMS |
Information Management System |
JCP |
jointed concrete pavement |
JPCP |
jointed plain concrete pavement |
JRCP |
jointed reinforced concrete pavement |
LTE |
load transfer efficiency |
LTPP |
Long-Term Pavement Performance |
PCC |
portland cement concrete |
RSC |
Regional Support Contractor |
SAMI |
stress-absorbing membrane interlayers |
SHA |
State highway agency |
SHRP |
Strategic Highway Research Program |
SMP |
Seasonal Monitoring Program |
SPS |
Specific Pavement Studies |
TSSC |
Technical Support Services Contractor |
VMA |
voids in mineral aggregate |