The professional, managerial, and legal implications of using life-cycle performance specifications are presented. Changes in the roles of the parties using life-cycle performance specifications are discussed. Life-cycle performance specifications are a cost-effectivemeans of procuring highway pavements that will provide satisfactoryservice over their design life. This approach can improve quality, reduce costs, and expedite the construction process. The basis of the process is the development of models of expected performance. These models will be used to predict whether the pavement will perform as required over the life of the project. Tests are performed at the end of construction to determine whether the expected performance islikely to be achieved. Adjustments in payment can be made, based onthe performance model predictions. The ramifications of adopting life-cycle performance specifications are discussed. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1215, Pavement management and rehabilitation.
Abstract