Funding/Research Supports
NSERC
Project Status
Complete
Project Overview
In recent years, extreme weather events such as heat waves have gained increasing attention due to their significant impact on transportation infrastructure. Flexible pavements, which are highly sensitive to temperature variations, are particularly vulnerable to prolonged periods of extreme heat. Elevated temperatures can soften asphalt layers, leading to permanent deformation such as rutting, which reduces pavement serviceability and safety. Therefore, understanding the effects of heat waves on pavement performance is essential for developing effective design and maintenance strategies.
In this research, Pavement Mechanistic Empirical Design (PMED) software will be employed to evaluate the impact of heat waves on the performance of flexible pavements across Canada. The notable 2021 British Columbia heat wave will be simulated, and pavement rutting will be analyzed at multiple locations across Central and Western Canada. In addition, historical heat wave data from cities such as Toronto and Ottawa will be scaled to develop future heat wave scenarios of varying severity for sensitivity analysis.
Various climatic and structural conditions will be incorporated into the simulations to assess the extent of pavement deterioration under extreme heat events. The influence of increasing temperature intensity and duration on rutting performance will be examined, along with the effectiveness of potential mitigation strategies such as increasing asphalt layer thickness.
The results obtained from this study are expected to provide valuable insights into the relationship between heat waves and pavement distress. The findings will support the development of climate-resilient pavement design and maintenance practices, helping transportation agencies improve infrastructure durability, reduce maintenance costs, and ensure safer road networks under changing climatic conditions.
Project Report
Link to Report: The Impact of Heat Waves on Predicted Ontario Pavement Performance Using Pavement Mechanistic Empirical Design Software