LIFE CYCLE COST ANALYSIS OF PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENTS

Abstract

This research describes the development of a new life cycle cost analysis methodology for portland cement concrete pavements which considers all aspects of pavement design, construction, maintenance and user impacts throughout the analysis period. It predicts pavement performance using state of the art performance models and reliability concepts, from which it determines maintenance and rehabilitation needs. Any construction performed on the roadway has associated construction and user costs. Also associated with all highway pavement construction are external costs, upon which it is difficult if not impossible to place a value. This methodology models the effects of construction on all these aspects and, where the effects cannot yet be quantified, allows new models to be added. Reliability concepts are used with individual models when possible, and the overall variability of the total life cycle cost is estimated. Using reliability concepts and the variability in all aspects of construction and cost models, the design engineer can define a level of confidence for predicting total life cycle costs, user costs, accidents and other output parameters considered in the methodology. The modular nature of the methodology allows it to be updated with new or better performing models for predicting pavement performance, user costs, and external costs associated with highway pavement construction. New pavement types such as asphalt concrete and pre-stressed concrete can also be added to the analysis in the future, using proper performance models and maintenance and rehabilitation strategies. Many existing life cycle cost methodologies utilize preprogrammed maintenance and rehabilitation actions to determine the total life cycle cost of a particular alternative. This new methodology, however, determines when maintenance and rehabilitation activities will be required by predicting the distresses and the condition of the pavement due to traffic and environmental loading.

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