Guidelines for Implementing NCHRP 1-37A M-E Design Procedures in Ohio: Volume 2—Literature Review

The development of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) under National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) projects 1-37A and 1-40D has significantly improved the ability of pavement designers to model and simulate the effects of the combination of traffic and climate on future pavement damage, distress, and smoothness. With the adoption of the MEPDG as an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Interim Guide for Pavement Design, the next step is to integrate the MEPDG into the mainstream of pavement design procedures of State highway agencies across the U.S. The objective of this project is to implement the MEPDG for the Ohio Department of Transportation. To successfully accomplish this objective, it was important to review significant literature published on the MEPDG to identify issues related to the implementation of the MEPDG as a design standard and review feedback on how effective the MEPDG is as a pavement design tool among others. Since the completion of the MEPDG in 2004, there have been significant efforts by State highway agencies (SHAs), transportation organizations (e.g., FHWA, NCHRP), and others to evaluate the MEPDG design procedure (e.g., models, algorithms) and implement the MEPDG as a pavement design standard, or to adopt the MEDPG as part of existing or new pavement design, evaluation, and analysis procedure. A detailed overview of some of the key activities undertaken or in the process of being undertaken nationwide and in Ohio is presented in this report, Volume 2 of four volumes.