This research was undertaken to determine how the level of routine maintenance expenditure affects pavement surface condition and pavement service life. The relationship between pavement roughness and pavement age was examined under different levels of routine maintenance expenditure. Surface roughness was used as a measure of pavement surface condition, and pavement age at terminal roughness value was considered as a measure of pavement service life. The effects of traffic loading and regional factors were included in this relationship. Data on a selected number of pavement sections from the Indiana state highway system were used to develop appropriate prediction models. The results of these models indicated that, if patching and crack-sealing expenditure increases from low to high levels, resurfacing can be postponed 1 to 3.3 year for overlaid pavements and 1.6 to 8 year for flexible pavements.
Abstract