The Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) is a significant advancement in pavement design, but requires significantly more inputs from designers. Many data sets need to be pre-processed before their use in the MEPDG procedure, such as Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) traffic data. Under contract with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Office of Pavement Technology, and co-sponsored by the Arkansas Highway Department, the University of Arkansas recently developed a software program called PrepME with comprehensive database features to store and process climate, traffic and materials data and to: (1) identify all the required inputs and analysis parameters; (2) develop algorithms and procedures to locate the available data sets, pre-process raw data, check data quality, and import the traffic and other data sets to the designed database tables, including conducting quality checks on both weight and classification WIM data based on LTPP and FHWA methods; (3) implement database algorithms for uploading, data checking, and generating the required data files for the MEPDG software; and, (4) develop a user]friendly software interface, PrepME, to generate the required input files for the MEPDG software.

The objective of the PrepMEsoftware is to assist state DOTs in the data preparation and improve the management and workflow of the MEPDG input data to make the MEPDG software more accessible. Additionally, it can be used as a critical tool for calibrating and implementing the MEPDG as well.

In order to make PrepME full production software assist states use the MEPDG, the software and services need to be expanded to: (1) recognize the differences in loading patterns or traffic groups and estimate the full axle load spectrum data occurring under different conditions based on large amounts of WIM data, such as the LTPP data; (2) develop advanced algorithms to examine raw WIM data for quality and conduct data repair operations to salvage usable information in WIM data for MEPDG and other purposes. A portable version of quality checks for traffic data can be available to the field data collection crew; (3) Add more functions based on the consensus of participating states; (4) Customize PrepME for participating states; (5) Prepare and conduct training for the personnel of participating states; and, (6) Provide participating states technical support throughout the three year period.

It is estimated to cost $50,000 total for three years for a participating state. A minimum of ten states is desired. There are a number of other features in PrepME that may be useful to any highway agency, including (1) georeferencing of design sites, weather stations, WIM, and water table observations; (2) populating materials inputs for MEPDG; and (3) preparing other MEPDG inputs. It is envisioned that through this pooled fund study, a possible nationwide platform for data preparation of MEPDG can be established with guidelines and supports provided to individual states for implementation. Download current program: http://fhwa-pooled-fund.cveg.uark.edu/PrepME_for_Pooled-Fund_Study.zip LADOTD Technical contact: Doc Zhang, doc.zhang@la.gov