Topic 619 – Pavement Life-Cycle

619.1 Life-Cycle Cost Analysis

Life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) is a useful tool for
comparing the value of alternative pavement
structures and strategies. LCCA is an economic
analysis that compares initial cost, future cost, and
user delay cost of different pavement alternatives.
LCCA is an integral part of the decision making
process for selecting pavement type and design
strategy. It can be used to compare life-cycle cost
for:
• Different pavement types (rigid, flexible,
composite).
• Different rehabilitation strategies.
• Different pavement design lives (e.g., 20 vs. 40).
LCCA comparisons must be made between properly
engineered, viable pavement structures that would
be approved for construction if selected. The
alternatives being evaluated should also have
identical improvements. For example, comparing
20-year rehabilitation vs. 40-year rehabilitation or
flexible pavement new construction vs. rigid
pavement new construction, provide an identical
improvement. Conversely, comparing pavement
rehabilitation to new construction, or pavement
overlay to pavement widening are not identical
improvements.
LCCA can also be useful to determine the value of
combining several projects into a single project. For
example, combining a pavement rehabilitation
project with a pavement widening project may
reduce overall user delay and construction cost. In
such case, LCCA can help determine if combining
projects can reduce overall user delay and
construction cost for more efficient and costeffective projects. LCCA could also be used to
identify and measure the impacts of splitting a
project into two or more projects.
LCCA must conform to the procedures and data in
the Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Procedures Manual
available on the Department Pavement website.
LCCA must be completed for any project with a
pavement cost component except for the following:
• Pavement preservation projects (preventative
maintenance and CAPM).
• Minor A and Minor B projects.
• Projects using Permit Engineering Evaluation
Reports (PEER).
• Maintenance pullouts.
• Landscape.
For the above exempted projects, the Project
Manager and the Project Development Team (PDT)
will determine on a case-by-case basis if and how a
life-cycle cost analysis should be performed and
documented. LCCA must be performed and
documented in the PID and PA&ED phases. If a
change in pavement design is done after the
PA&ED, the LCCA must be updated. The Project
Engineer is responsible for coordinating all aspects
of LCCA and utilizing the information to assure the
most efficient use of transportation funds.
Information on how to perform and document
LCCA can be found in the LCCA Procedures
Manual.
619.2 Life-Cycle Assessment
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an approach to
quantify the environmental impacts of industrial
products and processes. The Department is
currently developing a framework and a tool for
using this concept to conduct life-cycle assessment
for pavements. Using this tool, it is possible to
quantify the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs)
emissions (in terms of tons of carbon dioxide
equivalents) released during the production of the
various materials to be used in pavement
construction, transport to the job site, and use of
these materials on the project, followed by the
maintenance and rehabilitation of these materials,
recycling, and disposal (i.e., a cradle-to-grave
analysis). The tool will be valuable in the decisionmaking process regarding the selection of pavement
type, materials, and rehabilitation strategies and will
help the Department in the future achieve its
sustainability goals. The tool will complement the
LCCA tool in the final selection of pavement
materials and strategies to minimize the carbon
footprint associated with pavements.
tion of pavement