Life-Cycle Economic Evaluation of Alternative Road Construction Methods on Low-Volume Roads

The province of Saskatchewan has the largest number of public roads per capita in Canada and one of the largest in the world. Over the past decade, pressures on the road network have increased, resulting in accelerated road damage and increased demand to upgrade portions of the highway network. To address transportation infrastructure sustainability issues, Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation (DHT) and Pavement Scientific International, Inc., are researching more cost-effective methods. The research work involves evaluating the technical and economic feasibility of undertaking alternative road construction techniques. A critical component of this research effort is to evaluate the economic feasibility associated with different road construction techniques. The ability to perform whole-life economic analysis associated with long-term infrastructure assets is important to long-term sustainability. By comparing the present value of initial construction and future preservation costs across different road structures and technologies, an accurate assessment of construction and design options is achievable. On the basis of performance predictions and projected structural performance, resource allocation can be optimized more reliably across limited resources and alternative road strengthening systems, providing technically sound solutions that are more economically attractive. With an ability to predict whole life-cycle performance on the basis of future maintenance treatments, road managers can more reliably assess alternative surfacing and structural preservation strategies. The primary focus of this paper is to demonstrate the economic considerations undertaken in evaluating alternative road design and construction methods. This longer-term evaluation approach allows strategic investments in highway infrastructure and allows DHT and other agencies to consider innovative road structural rehabilitation and management strategies more effectively.