Development of Performance-Based and Cost-Effective Rehabilitation Strategies for High-Traffic-Volume Flexible Pavement

A well-planned rehabilitation approach helps agencies to optimize the allocation of annual investment in pavement rehabilitation programs. A wide range of variables impacts the process of selecting the appropriate maintenance activities. Currently, many agencies are struggling with the selection of an optimal time-based and cost-effective rehabilitation strategy to address the long-term needs of a pavement. The focus of this study is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of a series of high traffic volume flexible pavements and develop a performance based rehabilitation strategy for selecting a long lasting and cost-effective solution. Therefore, a mechanistic-empirical methodology is employed to obtain an estimate of the performance of potential rehabilitation treatments and their extended service life. Three levels of rehabilitation activities including light, medium and heavy are considered for pavement family groups selected from eight field divisions in a state highway agency. For this purpose, a combination of local material properties, structural integrity and environmental condition are used for structural analysis and to develop an assessment output matrix for the seven pavement family groups identified in the highway system. The output matrix can be used as a supplemental tool to help the decision makers in the highway agency. At the end of this study a series of time-based renewal solutions are developed based on the results of pavement analysis for pavement family groups with similar existing condition. The results of this investigation are combined with the findings of life cycle cost analysis to determine the appropriate timing and cost effectiveness of the developed methodology.