Road infrastructure is one of the most valuable assets of any country, and it plays a vital role in encouraging a more productive and competitive national economy. As road pavements continuously deteriorate through the combined effects of traffic loading and the environment, a large amount of budget resources is needed to maintain roads so they can meet a specified set of standards. Road agencies strive to select those maintenance alternatives that, while recognizing the reality of budgetary constraints, seek tominimize total transport costs. This paper describes the development of a Life Cycle Cost Analysis Graph Tool (LCCAGT) that can be used for fast and efficient assessment of alternatives for asphalt pavement rehabilitation and for the selection of the alternative leading to minimum total transport cost (i.e., the sum of road agency and road users costs). LCCAGT is agraphic simulation tool that enables the comparison between Base and Project alternatives and calculates key project indicators for the specified analysis period. The use of the Tool is illustrated through a practical numerical example that includes a comparison of several maintenance alternatives.
Abstract