Analysis of the temperature profile for an asphalt pavement over one-year in Brisbane

As a part of the Queensland Enrobes a Module Eleve class 2 (EME2) asphalt trial at Eagle Farm, a section of the pavement was instrumented with a number of temperature sensors. The sensors are providing pavement temperatures to a data-logging weather station, which also records air temperature, solar radiation, rainfall, relative humidity and wind. This allows for a comprehensive summary of the weather parameters and how they influence the temperature, and ultimately the performance of asphalt pavements at various depths. At the one year mark of monitoring the data, a comprehensive climate record at this site is now available, and a summary of pavement temperatures over this year reveals a number of important observations. A detailed understanding of the distribution of asphalt temperatures at depth in Australian conditions will allow for a better informed design of asphalt pavements. A practical application of this data set has been explored. This matches the diurnal temperature profile with an hourly traffic distribution and provides a practical comparison between the current design approach and the possibilities for enhanced design input. Factoring in a wider range of climate and asphalt performance data will allow for pavement designs that are specifically tailored to a certain location.