Associate Professor Arizona State University Gilbert, AZ, United States
Bridging the Gap: Integrating Unsaturated Soil Mechanics and Mechanistic-Empirical Modeling into Pavement Design Practice
Road infrastructure is a critical national asset, yet the cost of maintaining and rehabilitating pavements is enormous—and unavoidable. Despite substantial investments, pavement design in the U.S. and many parts of the world still relies heavily on empirical models that lack calibration to local conditions and fail to account for complex environmental effects. This presentation explores the persistent disconnect between practical engineering methods and the state of the art in pavement research. Drawing on examples from mechanistic-empirical modeling, unsaturated soil mechanics, and reliability-based approaches, Dr. Zapata demonstrates how integrating advanced tools—such as climatic models, big data, and unsaturated soil frameworks—can enhance design accuracy, improve prediction of pavement deterioration, and support more resilient infrastructure. Ultimately, this talk advocates for collaborative innovation to bridge the divide between research and implementation in pavement engineering.
