Field Performance and Cost-Effectiveness of Ultrathin Asphalt Overlay in Hot and Humid Climates
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part B: Pavements
Volume 150, Issue 1
Abstract
A pavement maintenance treatment that has increased in popularity in recent years is ultrathin overlay (UTO). While the selection and construction processes for UTO has been well researched in previous studies, few studies assessed the field performance and cost-effectiveness of UTO especially in hot and wet climates. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the field performance and cost-effectiveness of UTO projects in Louisiana. To achieve this objective, asphalt pavements in Louisiana that received UTO were monitored for up to 14 years. The performance and cost-effectiveness of these sections were evaluated in terms of pavement condition Index (PCI), alligator cracking index (ALCR), rutting index (RUT), random cracking index (RNDM), and roughness index (RUFF). Results showed that UTO extended the pavement service life (PSL) by 8.7, 9.1, 7.0, 9.7, and 9.5 years, on average, for PCI, RUFF, RNDM, ALCR, and RUT, respectively. This extension varied based on the pretreatment pavement conditions and traffic level. As such, a predictive model was developed, with reasonable accuracy, to predict the extension in PSL of UTO based on project conditions. Results of the cost-benefit analysis indicated that UTO was cost-effective in most of the cases. The findings of this study were incorporated into a decision-making tool to assist transportation agencies in hot and humid climates determine the expected immediate and long-term field performance as well as the cost-effectiveness of UTO based on their project conditions. This will help these agencies make effective decisions for the maintenance and rehabilitation of their pavements.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The financial support of the Transportation Consortium of South-Central States (Tran-SET) is greatly appreciated (Tran-SET Project 20PLSU04 and Grant Number 69A3551747106).
Author contributions: Study conception and design: Daniel Game, Momen Mousa, and Marwa Hassan; data collection: Daniel Game; analysis and interpretation of results: Daniel Game, Momen Mousa, and Marwa Hassan; draft manuscript preparation: Daniel Game, Momen Mousa, and Marwa Hassan. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part B: Pavements
Volume 150 • Issue 1 • March 2024
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 5, 2022
Accepted: Sep 15, 2023
Published online: Nov 16, 2023
Published in print: Mar 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Apr 16, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Architectural engineering
- Asphalt pavements
- Benefit cost ratios
- Building management
- Business management
- Climates
- Construction costs
- Construction engineering
- Construction management
- Engineering fundamentals
- Environmental engineering
- Field tests
- Financial management
- Gravels
- Infrastructure
- Maintenance and operation
- Pavement condition
- Pavement overlays
- Pavement rutting
- Pavements
- Practice and Profession
- Project management
- Tests (by type)
- Transportation engineering
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