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Journal ArticleDOI

Evaluating the Cost Effectiveness of Flexible Rehabilitation Treatments Using Different Performance Criteria

01 Oct 2009-Journal of Transportation Engineering-asce (American Society of Civil Engineers)-Vol. 135, Iss: 10, pp 753-763
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed the cost effectiveness of four flexible pavement rehabilitation treatments: functional hot-mix asphalt (HMA) overlay, structural HMA overlay, resurfacing (partial 3R standards), and mill full-depth and asphaltic concrete overlay.
Abstract: At a certain point in the life of a flexible pavement, rehabilitation is required to improve pavement condition and to defer reconstruction. Pavement managers seek the best rehabilitation treatment on the basis of cost effectiveness. Using 1994–2002 data from a wet-freeze mid-Western state in the United States, this paper analyzes the cost effectiveness of four flexible pavement rehabilitation treatments: functional hot-mix asphalt (HMA) overlay, structural HMA overlay, resurfacing (partial 3R standards), and mill full-depth and asphaltic concrete overlay. The performance indicator used is the international roughness index and treatment effectiveness is measured in terms of performance jump (short-term), and service life and increase in pavement performance (long-term). The treatment cost is the equivalent uniform annual cost per lane-km incurred by the agency and user; and cost effectiveness is the ratio of effectiveness to cost. The study estimated treatment effectiveness under various combinations of traffic loading and climatic condition, and initial pavement condition. The results suggest that in the short-term, HMA structural overlay is the most effective treatment. For the long-term, the results are equivocal: HMA structural overlay is most effective from the perspective of average performance over the treatment life; resurfacing (partial 3R standards) is the most effective from the perspective of treatment service life. With regard to cost effectiveness, however, the results were consistent: for all three measures of treatment effectiveness, mill full-depth and asphaltic concrete overlay unequivocally appears to be the most cost effective treatment. Finally, the paper recommends that cost effectiveness analysis should be accompanied by a candid deliberation of project constraints, the local environment, and agency practices.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A random forests regression (RFR) model to estimate the international roughness index (IRI) of flexible pavements from distress measurements, traffic, climatic, maintenance and structural data revealed that the initial IRI was the most important factor affecting the development of the IRI.

142 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Two deep neural network (NNs) that can be included in the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) are developed and exhibited significantly better predictive performance than the two MLR models, regardless of whether they were in training or testing.

65 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a framework and an illustrative example for identifying the optimal pavement maintenance and rehabilitation (MR and cost) is presented in terms of the agency and user costs over the life cycle.
Abstract: This article presents a framework and an illustrative example for identifying the optimal pavement maintenance and rehabilitation (MR and cost is expressed in terms of the agency and user costs over the life cycle. The proposed methodology is demonstrated using a case study. Probability distributions are established for the optimization input variables and Monte Carlo simulations are carried out to yield optimal solutions. Using the results of these simulations, M&R strategy contours are developed as a novel tool that can help pavement managers quickly identify the optimal M&R strategy for a ...

42 citations


Cites methods from "Evaluating the Cost Effectiveness o..."

  • ...…performance jump and post-treatment performance trend model is given in Equation (1) and Equation (2), respectively (Geoffroy 1996, Irfan et al. 2009): Performance jump: PJ = f (x̃) (1) where PJ is the performance jump at the time of treatment application; f (x̃) is a function of…...

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors found that pavement treatment short-term effectiveness in international roughness index (IRI) follows a polynomial relationship with a pretreatment pavement condition.
Abstract: This paper finds that pavement treatment short-term effectiveness in international roughness index (IRI) follows a polynomial relationship with a pretreatment pavement condition. Pretreatment pavement condition is an influential factor of the treatment effectiveness in the short term. This paper finds that (1) hot mill overlay can offer average reductions in IRI of 1.44 m/km IRI; (2) crack sealing can offer average reductions in IRI of 0.27 m/km IRI; (3) aggregate seal can offer average reductions in IRI of 0.31 m/km; and (4) chip seal can offer average reductions of 0.72.

42 citations


Cites background from "Evaluating the Cost Effectiveness o..."

  • ...In general, two types of effectiveness measurement models were developed: short-term and long-term (Madanat and Mishalani 1998; Labi and Sinha 2003a; Irfan and Khurshid 2009)....

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  • ...Benefits or effectiveness can be defined as to what degree the treatment applied to the pavement accomplishes the agency’s intended objectives (Irfan and Khurshid 2009)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a laboratory and field evaluation of crumb rubber-modified and traditional asphalt concrete mixtures was conducted to ascertain the resilient modulus, indirect tensile strength, and permanent deformation of the modified asphalt mixtures.
Abstract: Research studies often propose additives to improve the mechanical properties that extend pavement service life by reducing the rate of permanent deformation of conventional asphalt mixtures. However, questions remain regarding the consistency and efficacy of additives compared to the conventional mixtures, particularly under different conditions of loading and climate inherent to various countries and locations. To shed further light, this paper presents a laboratory and field evaluation of Marshall and Superpave Gyratory-compacted crumb rubber-modified and traditional asphalt concrete mixtures. A laboratory-based study was conducted to ascertain the resilient modulus, indirect tensile strength, and permanent deformation of crumb rubber-modified asphalt mixtures. The Marshall stability and resilient modulus of mixtures prepared with crumb rubber-modified mixtures were increased on average by 30 and 43%, respectively, as compared to the control mixtures, whereas the permanent deformation of the crumb rubber-modified mixtures was improved on average by 12% in contrast to the control mixtures. Field investigations on short-term effectiveness revealed crumb rubber-modified asphalt mixture treatment exhibited on average 36.16% drop in International Roughness Index. In contrast, the control mixture pavement showed 24.20% drop in International Roughness Index. The results indicate and quantify the extent to which crumb rubber improves the performance of the conventional mixtures, in terms of the performance criteria specified.

39 citations

References
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Book
01 Apr 2007
TL;DR: This textbook on decision making in transportation contains 20 chapters and transportation modes included in the textbook are highways, railroads, water transportation, public transit and air transportation.
Abstract: This textbook on decision making in transportation contains 20 chapters. The chapter headings are as follows: Chapter 1. Introductory Concepts in Transportation Decision Making; Chapter 2. Performance Measures in Transportation Evaluation; Chapter 3. Estimating Transportation Demand; Chapter 4. Transportation Costs; Chapter 5. Travel-Time Impacts; Chapter 6. Evaluation of Safety Impacts; Chapter 7. Vehicle Operating Cost Impacts; Chapter 8. Economic Efficiency Impacts; Chapter 9. Economic Development Impacts; Chapter 10. Air Quality Impacts; Chapter 11. Noise Impacts; Chapter 12. Impacts on Wetlands and Other Ecosystems; Chapter 13. Impacts on Water Resources; Chapter 14. Visual Impacts; Chapter 15. Impacts on Energy Use; Chapter 16. Land-Use Impacts; Chapter 17. Social and Cultural Impacts; Chapter 18. Evaluation of Transportation Projects and Programs Using Multiple Criteria; Chapter 19. Use of Geographical and Other Information Systems; and Chapter 20. Transportation Programming. Transportation modes included in the textbook are highways, railroads, water transportation, public transit and air transportation.

254 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a framework for a process that can be used to select the proper maintenance strategies for different distress types in asphalt pavements, depending on traffic level and environment, is discussed.
Abstract: Preventive maintenance techniques are considered useful in extending the life of a pavement if applied at the right time. Discussed here is a framework for a process that can be used to select the proper maintenance strategies for different distress types in asphalt pavements, depending on traffic level and environment. Maintenance treatments addressed include only crack seals, fog seals, slurry seals, microsurfacings, chip seals, thin asphalt concrete overlays, and other thin surface treatments. Types of distress considered include roughness, rutting, fatigue cracking, longitudinal cracking, raveling, weathering, and bleeding. Decision trees, based on the authors' experiences, are presented to illustrate the process in selecting appropriate maintenance treatments. A framework for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of the various maintenance treatments is presented. Existing methods for evaluating cost-effectiveness of maintenance are discussed together with their strengths and weaknesses. An example of cost-effectiveness for different maintenance treatments is also briefly presented.

94 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the cost effectiveness of various levels of life-cycle preventive maintenance (PM) for three asphaltic concrete pavement functional class families and developed a statistical model to describe the relationship between PM effort and its efficacy in extending pavement life, per unit cost.
Abstract: This study investigates the cost effectiveness of various levels of life-cycle preventive maintenance (PM) for three asphaltic concrete pavement functional class families. For each family, the effectiveness and cost associated with each of several alternative life-cycle PM strategies were estimated. For each strategy, effectiveness was estimated as the increase in service life relative to a base-case strategy, and the cost was estimated in terms of agency and user costs associated with the treatments comprising that strategy. Using the estimated costs and effectiveness, statistical models were developed to describe the relationship between life-cycle PM effort and its efficacy in extending the pavement life, per unit cost. It is shown that increasing PM is generally associated with increasing cost effectiveness (but only up to a certain turning point beyond which cost effectiveness decreases). It was determined that the maximum cost effectiveness and the corresponding level of annualized PM are influenced by the pavement functional class and cost components considered. A general methodology is hereby provided for pavement managers to estimate the expected changes in pavement service life arising from changes in PM expenditure.

88 citations

ReportDOI
01 Mar 2005
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed several sets of alternative pavement design and preservation strategies consistent with existing and foreseen Indiana practice, using two alternative criteria (pavement condition thresholds) and predefined time intervals (based on treatment service lives) and are intended for further study before they can be used for practice.
Abstract: Given the aging of highway pavements, high traffic levels, and uncertainty of sustained preservation funding, there is a need for balanced decision-making tools such as Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) to ensure long-term and cost-effective pavement investments. With driving forces such as Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), the National Highway System (NHS) Act of 1995, and the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), LCCA enables evaluation of overall long-term economic efficiency between competing alternative investments and consequently has important applications in pavement design and management. It has been shown in past research that more effective long-term pavement investment could be made at lower cost using LCCA. Current LCCA-based pavement design and preservation practice in Indiana could be further enhanced by due consideration of user costs. Also, the existing Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) LCCA software could be further enhanced for increased versatility, flexibility, and more specific applicability to the needs of Indiana, particularly with regard to treatment cost estimation and development of alternative feasible preservation strategies (rehabilitation and maintenance types and timings). The study documented/developed several sets of alternative pavement design and preservation strategies consistent with existing and foreseen Indiana practice. The preservation strategies were developed using two alternative criteria – trigger values (pavement condition thresholds) and predefined time intervals (based on treatment service lives) and are intended for further study before they can be used for practice. These strategies were developed on the basis of historical pavement management data, existing Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Design Manual standards, and a survey of experts. The study also found that with a few enhancements, FHWA’s current LCCA methodology and software (RealCost) could be adapted for use by INDOT for purposes of decision support for pavement investments and proceeded to make such enhancements. The resulting software product (RealCost-Indiana) is more versatile, flexible and specific to Indiana practice. The enhancements made include a mechanism by which the user can estimate the agency cost of each pavement design or preservation activity on the basis of line items and their unit rates, and a set of menus showing default or user-defined strategies for pavement preservation. Other enhancements made to the software include improved graphics, enhanced reporting of analysis results, and capability to simultaneously carry out analysis for more than two pavement design and preservation alternatives. A User Manual was prepared to facilitate the use of the enhanced software, and a Technical Manual was prepared to provide for the user a theoretical basis for various concepts used in the software. The enhanced LCCA methodology and software are useful for (i) identifying alternative INDOT pavement designs, (ii) identifying or developing alternative strategies for pavement rehabilitation and maintenance for a given pavement design (iii) estimating the life-cycle agency and user costs associated with a given strategy, (iv) comparative evaluation of alternative pavement designs. The enhanced methodology and software are applicable to existing pavements in need of some rehabilitation treatment, and also for planned (new) pavements. Future enhancements to the LCCA methodology and software may include a way to duly penalize parsimonious preservation strategies that are presently not adequately penalized for their resulting inferior pavement condition over the life cycle.

87 citations