PERFORMANCE MODELING AND COMPARATIVE LIFE-CYCLE ANALYSIS OF ENHANCED ASPHALT PAVEMENTS

Modified asphalt pavement has been used in a significant number of pavement sections in the U.S. and Canada since the late 1980s, and it will be the only type of pavement that will meet new Strategic Highway Research Program performance grades in many applications. However, much more needs to be known about modified asphalt's performance and life-cycle costs. This research developed performance measurement techniques and conducted life cycle cost analyses on heavily traveled sections in Ontario, Canada. The study found significant cost savings with engineered asphalt on high-volume sections and on less busy sections where the design of the pavements and subgrades were appropriate for the loads. It also found that improved service life does not necessarily mean the pavement is cost-effective if other costs, such as user delay, are not included.