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PRODUCTBRIEF

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Publication No. FHWA-HRTM 2442, Pub 17-009

FHWA Contact: Larry Wiser, HRDI-30, (202) 493-3079, larry.wiser@dot.gov

This document provides an overview of the Long-Term Pavement Performance Bind Online 

functionality.(1) Details are provided in the LTPPBind Online User Guide (FHWA-HRT-17-010).(2)

Long-Term Pavement 

Performance Bind Online

Objective

This Product Brief introduces 

the reader to the Long-Term 

Pavement Performance Bind 

(LTPPBind) Online Web-based 

tool for selecting asphalt binder 

performance grades (PGs).(1) It 

explains what the tool is, who 

can benefit from its use, what its 

main features are, and how and 

where potential users can find 

more information.

Introduction

Initial specifications for the 

Strategic Highway Research 

Program’s Superpave® asphalt 

binder PGs were based on the 

lowest and highest temperatures expected at a site.(3) Later, 

the LTPP Program used data 

from the Seasonal Monitoring 

Program to quantify the relationship between air and pavement 

temperatures. This evaluation 

resulted in the development of 

improved low and high pavement temperature models for 

selecting Superpave® asphalt 

binder grades.(3)

The current version of the 

LTPPBind 3.0/3.1 software uses 

degree days over 10 oC as the 

climatic value in a transfer function for high-temperature (HT) 

PG.(4) The transfer function was 

developed by taking advantage 

of the integrated climatic model 

and the Mechanistic-Empirical 

Pavement Design rutting concepts.

LTPPBind Online is a new Webbased tool that helps State transportation departments select 

the most suitable binder PG for 

asphalt concrete pavement at 

a particular site based on the 

American Association of State 

Highway and Transportation 

Officials (AASHTO) M320-10 and 

AASHTO M332-14 standards.(1,5,6)

The algorithms for calculating 

the high and low temperatures 

are the same as the LTPPBind 

3.0/3.1 software.(4)

LTPPBind Online allows the use 

of National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration (NASA) 

Modern-Era Retrospective 

Analysis for Research and 

Applications (MERRA) climatic 

data, LTPP climatic data, or 

manual data.(1,7) Based on the 

selected climatic data source, the 

maximum allowable rut depth, 

depth of pavement layer, base 

HT PG, equivalent single-axle 

load (ESAL) traffic volume, and 

traffic speed, LTPPBind Online is 

able to do the following:(1)

• Select binder PGs based on 

actual temperature conditions 

at the site and the level of risk 

designated by the highway 

agency.

• Adjust the PG selection for 

traffic loading and speed.
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• Compare binder PGs 

between the old AASHTO 

M320-10 standard and the 

AASHTO M332-14 standard 

for modified binders as 

demonstrated in figure 1.(5,6)

Who Can Benefit 

From LTPPBind 

Online?

All State and Provincial transportation departments, the 

highway construction industry, asphalt binder producers, 

university faculties/students, 

and researchers will benefit 

from LTPPBind Online.(1) This 

new software tool provides 

pavement engineers with the 

ability to select binder grades 

that are less restrictive and 

more cost effective for allowable rutting. 

LTPPBind Online 

Tool Features

In addition to the high and low 

temperature PG, users can 

compare selected binder PGs 

between AASHTO M320-10 and 

AASHTO M 332-14 standards.(5,6)

Users can select climatic data 

from MERRA, LTPP climatic 

data (virtual weather station 

(VWS) or automated weather 

station (AWS)), or enter the 

climatic data manually. 

MERRA data are selected by 

clicking on the map shown 

in figure 2 with the mouse 

cursor or by entering the 

coordinates in the search box. 

LTPP VWS climatic data are 

selected from a drop-down 

list of LTPP sections, and 

LTPP AWS climatic data are 

selected from existing AWS 

locations on the map in the 

United States only. Finally, 

users have the option of 

manually entering the climatic 

information for a specific 

location based on a credible 

climatic data source.

Figure 1. Comparison of AASHTO M320-10 standard and the AASHTO M332-14 standard.(5,6))

Note: Temperatures are presented in degrees Celsius.
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Once climatic data are entered, 

the user needs to input the 

allowable maximum rut 

depth, depth of pavement 

layer, base HT PG, traffic volume in million ESALs, and 

traffic speed. After clicking 

on the “Calculate” tab, the 

user can access the Binder PG 

Selection report, which has 

the following attributes:

• Provides all the parameters 

used to select a PG for the 

desired location.

• Shows the adjusted PG for 

traffic loading and speed.

• Provides the high and low 

PG at 50- and 98-percent 

reliability levels.

• Can be saved or printed 

for future reference.

Requirements to 

Use LTPPBind 

Online

Because LTPPBind Online is 

a Web-based tool, the user 

is not required to install any 

machine-specific software.(1,9)

The user will need an Internet 

connection to work on the 

LTPP InfoPaveTM Web site and 

access the LTPPBind online 

tool.(1,9) The user will also need 

to register (for free) in the 

InfoPaveTM Web site to keep 

track of extracted and downloaded information using not 

only the LTPPBind Online tool 

but also InfoPaveTM in general.(1,9)

A complete user guide is 

available in FHWA publication 

number FHWA-HRT-17-010.(2)

Contact 

Information

For questions about LTPPBind 

Online, contact LTPP 

Customer Support Service 

Center at ltppinfo@dot.gov 

or submit questions using 

the customer support feature under the help tab of the 

menu bar of LTPP InfoPaveTM.(9)

Figure 2. MERRA LTPP climatic data map.(8)
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References

1. FHWA. (2016). Long-Term 

Pavement Performance 

Bind Online Tool, Federal 

Highway Administration, 

Washington, DC, obtained 

from: https://infopave.

fhwa.dot.gov/Tools/

LTPPBindOnline, last 

accessed December 15, 2016.

2. iENGINEERING. (2016). 

LTPPBind Online, Report No. 

FHWA-HRT-17-010, Federal 

Highway Administration, 

Washington, DC.

3. Kennedy, T.W., Huber, 

G.A., Harrigan, E.T., 

Cominsky, R.J., Hughes, 

C.S., Von Quintus, H.L., 

and Moulthrop, J.S. (1994). 

Superior Performing 

Asphalt Pavements 

(Superpave): The Product of 

the SHRP Asphalt Research 

Program, SHRP-A-410, 

Strategic Highway Research 

Program, National Research 

Council, Washington, DC.

4. FHWA. (2005). LTPPBIND, 

Version 3.1 Beta, Federal 

Highway Administration, 

Washington, DC.

5. AASHTO. (2014). 

Standard Specification 

for Performance-Graded 

Asphalt Binder Using 

Multiple Stress Creep 

Recovery (MSCR) Test, 

AASHTO Designation 

M 332-14, American 

Association of State and 

Highway Transportation 

Officials, Washington, DC.

6. AASHTO. (2014). 

Standard Specification 

for Performance-Graded 

Asphalt Binder, AASHTO 

Designation M 320-10, 

American Association 

of State and Highway 

Transportation Officials, 

Washington, DC.

7. NASA. (2015). MERRA: 

Modern-Era Retrospective 

Analysis for Research and 

Applications, Goddard 

Space Flight Center, Global 

Modeling and Assimilation 

Office, Greenbelt, MD, 

obtained from: http://gmao.

gsfc.nasa.gov/merra/, last 

accessed March 9, 2015.

8. FHWA. (2016). LTPP 

Climate Tool, Federal 

Highway Administration, 

Washington, DC, obtained 

from: https://infopave.fhwa.

dot.gov/Data/ClimateTool, 

last accessed December 15, 

2016.

9. FHWA. (2016). LTPP 

InfopaveTM, Federal 

Highway Administration, 

Washington, DC, obtained 

from: https://infopave.fhwa.

dot.gov/, last accessed 

December 15, 2016.

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Research, Development, and Technology Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center

6300 Georgetown Pike • McLean, VA 22101. Visit us on the Web at www.tfhrc.gov

MARCH 2017 FHWA-HRT-17-009

HRDI-30/03-17(1,000)E

Additional 

Information

For additional information 

contact Larry Wiser, Office 

of Infrastructure R&D, 6300 

Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 

22101-2296, (202) 493-3079.

Researchers—This study was performed 

by iENGINEERING Corporation.

Distribution—This Product Brief is being 

distributed according to a standard distribution. Direct distribution is being made 

to the FHWA Divisions and Resource 

Center.

Availability—The LTPPBind Online can 

be accessed via the InfoPaveTM Web site 

located at https://infopave.fhwa.dot.gov 

under the “Tools” tab. 

Key Words—LTPPBind, asphalt binder, 

pavement performance, climate data, 

pavement design.

Notice—This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. 

Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. 

Government assumes no liability for the 

use of the information contained in this 

document. The U.S. Government does 

not endorse products or manufacturers. 

Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are 

considered essential to the objective of 

the document.

Quality Assurance Statement—

The Federal Highway Administration 

(FHWA) provides high-quality information 

to serve Government, industry, and the 

public in a manner that promotes public 

understanding. Standards and policies 

are used to ensure and maximize the 

quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity 

of its information. FHWA periodically 

reviews quality issues and adjusts its 

programs and processes to ensure 

continuous quality improvement.