Minimum‐Cost Design of Flexible Pavements

Abstract

The formulation of a mixed integer‐linear programming model to determine a minimum‐cost flexible pavement design is presented. The model identifies the number, type, and thicknesses of paving materials required to meet the structural strength requirements of the pavement system at a minimum initial cost to the highway agency. Policies regarding the designation of minimum and maximum layer thicknesses are accommodated in the model formulation, including the establishment of variable minimum and maximum thicknesses based on the underlying material. In addition, the structural layer coefficients are allowed to vary with the pavement configuration, including the number and type of constituent layers. The model can be used to calculate a marginal‐cost function which has applications in the selection of cost‐effective measures designed to strengthen the structural pavement capacity.