APWA Sacramento Chapter’s October 2023 Meeting

Empirical or Mechanistic Pavement Design; What’s the Difference and When to Use Them 

It is commonly thought that anyone who can follow the old Caltrans HDM or AASHTO procedure can design pavements. While that may be true to the extent that following these design methods does lead to a design, is that design suitable for your project? Does it meet your agency’s needs. In some cases it does, while in others it may not. Pavement design has a long history, ranging from the purely empirical “this has worked in the past, let’s do it again” to the state-of-the-art mechanistic-empirical utilizing knowledge of what exists in place to inform the design. Both methods, and those in between, have roles in the pavement engineering world. This practical, case study-based talk will cover the various pavement design methods, how they are used, when they can be used, and the benefits to agencies when their staff or consultants can go beyond the conventional design methods when appropriate.

James has been an enthusiastic pavement student, educator, and advocate for over 30 years, working on design and evaluation, rehabilitation and maintenance, materials assessment, and training. He has designed pavements for many local agencies and Caltrans as well as for heavy vehicle loading applications at airports and ports.   He is well-versed in state and local pavement practices and specifications. He has spent years researching all types of pavement materials, having directed a state-of-the-art AASHTO and Caltrans certified laboratory.

James has taught NHI’s and ASCE’s “Techniques for Pavement Rehabilitation” seminars to practicing engineers for 20 years and he also teaches for UC Berkeley Tech Transfer Program. His graduate courses in pavement engineering at San Jose State University were taken by many engineers who work at Bay Area local agencies. He likes to use his practical and research experience and technical knowledge to develop an understanding of client needs and offer leading edge solutions for their pavements. He has an MS and PhD in civil engineering, specializing in pavements, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Early Registration: $35 members / $45 non-members – Ends Friday, September 25

Standard Registration:  $45 members / $55 non-members – Ends Friday, October 1

Late Registration/Walk-ins: $60 (limited number available)