Analytical prediction and field validation of transient temperature field in asphalt pavements

This work presented the development and validation of an analytical method to predict the transient temperature field in the asphalt pavement. The governing equation for heat transfer was based on heat conduction radiation and convection. An innovative time-dependent function was proposed to predict the pavement surface temperature with solar radiation and air temperature using dimensional analysis in order to simplify the complex heat exchange on the pavement surface. The parameters for the time-dependent pavement surface temperature function were obtained through the regression analysis of field measurement data. Assuming that the initial pavement temperature distribution was linear and the influence of the base course materials on the temperature of the upper asphalt layers was negligible, a close-form analytical solution of the temperature in asphalt layers was derived using Green’s function. Finally, two numerical examples were presented to validate the model solutions with field temperature measurements. Analysis results show that the solution accuracy is in agreement with field data and the relative errors at a shallower depth are greater than those at a deeper one. Although the model is not sensitive to dramatic changes in climatic factors near the pavement surface, it is applicable for predicting pavement temperature field in cloudless days.