Impact of pavement thermophysical properties on surface temperatures

A one-dimensional mathematical model was developed, based on the fundamental energy balance, to calculate the pavement near-surface temperatures using hourly measured solar radiation, air temperature, dew-point temperature, and wind velocity data. An analysis was conducted to predict the diurnal temperature effects of pavement thermophysical properties with the aim of seeking an optimum composition of paving materials for future infrastructure projects. Appropriate paving materials not only ensure stability and safety for road users, but also the ability to mitigate heat absorption and high surface temperatures contributing to the Urban Heat Island Effect and human comfort. This paper evaluated the effects and sensitivities of the thermophysical properties on the pavement surface temperatures. The results indicated that both albedo and emissivity have the highest positive effects on pavement maximum and minimum temperatures, respectively, while increasing the thermal conductivity, diffusivity, and volumetric heat capacity help in mitigating the maximum but not the minimum pavement near-surface temperature.