Mechanistic-Empirical and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis for Optimizing Flexible Pavement Maintenance and Rehabilitation

Abstract

In this study, an attempt was made to evaluate and select an optimal Maintenance and Rehabilitation (M&R) strategy for a designed flexible pavement by integrating Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) and California Mechanistic-Empirical (M-E) design procedures (CalME). A 20-year design life pavement stretching 11.27-km-long section of 4-lane Highway 53, in Lake County, California is considered for this project level study. Three M&R strategies available in the CalME program were evaluated including, Extended Pavement Preservation (EPP), Preservation-Preservation-Rehabilitation (PPR), and Rehabilitation only (R). These strategies are applied as certain levels of distresses (rutting and cracking) are reached. The California-customized RealCost LCCA program was also employed to compare the various M&R strategies using the Equivalent Uniform Annual Cost (EUAC). LCCA demonstrated that EPP was the best economical alternative to maintain the pavement in a good usable condition for as long as 80 years of service. The methodology employed in this paper also demonstrated that extended life pavement may be achieved from a 20-year design by selecting the optimal preservation techniques and optimizing their time of application.