What are the limitations of using purely mechanistic-empirical pavement design methods without considering local performance data?

Mechanistic-empirical (M-E) pavement design methods use engineering mechanics principles to calculate stresses and strains within a pavement structure under traffic loading, and then relate these calculated responses to observed pavement performance through empirical relationships. While M-E methods are more sophisticated than purely empirical methods, they still have limitations when applied without considering local performance data. A key limitation is that the accuracy of M-E predictions depends on the accuracy of the input parameters, such as material properties (e.g., elastic modulus, Poisso....