U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
Coordinating, Developing, and Delivering Highway Transportation Innovations
 |
| This report is an archived publication and may contain dated technical, contact, and link information |
|
Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-04-044 Date: February 2004 |
PDF files can be viewed with the Acrobat® Reader®
The primary product developed under this study is a software analysis tool that can evaluate the relative costs and performance benefits associated with adding different features to a portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement design. The tool is for pavement designers who are interested in comparing costs versus performance associated with the selection of design features during the PCC pavement design process. This software is only a computational tool. It is not intended to provide absolute answers on the effect of different design features, but rather to offer insight into general cost and performance trends associated with the use of different design features. As such, it also may be of use to State and contractor engineers responsible for fulfilling the design, as well as to educators and students who wish to better understand the PCC pavement design process and its impact on construction costs and pavement performance.
Sufficient copies of this report are being distributed to provide 10 copies to each Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Resource Center, 4 copies to each FHWA Division, and a minimum of 4 copies to each State highway agency. Direct distribution is being made to the division offices for them to forward to the State highway agencies. Additional copies for the public are available from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161.
Paul Teng, Director
Office of Infrastructure Research and Development
Notice
This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.
The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers' names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.
Quality Assurance Statement
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.
Technical Report Documentation Page
1. Report No. |
2. Government Accession No. |
3. Recipient's Catalog No. | |
|
4. Title and Subtitle Incremental Costs and Performance Benefits of Various Features of Concrete Pavements |
5. Report Date February 2004 | ||
|
6. Performing Organization Code | |||
|
7. Author(s) T. E. Hoerner, K. D. Smith, and J. E. Bruinsma |
8. Performing Organization Report No. | ||
|
9. Performing Organization Name and Address Applied Pavement Technology, Inc. |
10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) | ||
|
11. Contract or Grant No. DTFH61-02-P-00412 | |||
|
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Federal Highway Administration |
13. Type of Report and Period Covered Final | ||
14. Sponsoring Agency Code
| |||
|
15. Supplementary Notes FHWA COTR: Mr. Peter Kopac, HRDI-11 | |||
|
16. Abstract Various design features (such as dowel bars, tied shoulders, or drainable bases) may be added to a PCC pavement design to improve its overall performance by maintaining a higher level of serviceability or by extending its service life. However, the addition of these features also increases the initial cost of the pavement design, in some cases quite significantly.This then raises the question as to whether the improved performance benefits gained by adding the design features are worth the increase in cost. Furthermore, the effects of adding more and more design features to a PCC pavement design may produce smaller and smaller performance gains, while significantly increasing the overall costs of the pavement structure. Unfortunately, current design practices do not always consider this trade-off between performance benefits and costs when design features are added to a PCC pavement design. This report presents a methodology for quickly assessing the relative costs and benefits of incorporating various design features in PCC pavements. That methodology has been incorporated into an analytical software tool that can be used by pavement design engineers who are interested in investigating the cost versus performance trade-offs associated with the selection of different design features during the PCC pavement design process. The tool is not intended to provide absolute answers on the effect of different design features, but rather to provide insight into general performance and cost trends associated with the use of those design features.
| |||
|
17. Key Words concrete pavement, rigid pavement, design features, pavement performance, costs, cost effectiveness |
18. Distribution Statement No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161. | ||
19. Security Classif. (of this report) Unclassified |
20. Security Classif. (of this page) Unclassified |
21. No. of Pages 210 |
22. Price |
| Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) | Reproduction of completed pages authorized |
Introduction
Project Objectives
Overview of Report
CHAPTER 2. DATA COLLECTION ACTIVITIES
Introduction
Literature Review
Questionnaire Survey Development
Design Categories and Alternative Design Features
Desired Number of Survey Responses
Questionnaire Survey Forms
SHA Performance Questionnaire Survey
Performance Model Evaluation
SHA Design Category Ranking Survey
Contractor Cost Questionnaire Survey
Summary
Introduction
Components of the Analysis Approach
Definition of a Pavement Section
The Standard Pavement Section
Cost and Performance Data
Category Ranking Factors
Simplistic Life-Cycle Cost Analysis
Demonstration of the Analysis Method
Comparing a Custom Pavement Section to the Standard
pavement Section
Comparison of Two Custom Pavement Sections (Section A vs. Section B)
Introduction to the Analytical Software Tool
Summary
APPENDIX A. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Base/Subbase DesignAPPENDIX B. QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY FORMS
APPENDIX C. SUMMARY OF DATA COLLECTION RESPONSES
APPENDIX D. SOFTWARE USER'S GUIDE
Section 1. Introduction
Software Capabilities
Software Structure
Section 2. Getting Started
System Requirements and Recommendations
Software Installation
What You See When You Start the Analysis Software
Menu Bar
Toolbar Buttons
Section 3. Defining Pavement Sections
The Default Standard Pavement Section
Defining Pavement Sections with the Section Definition Tab
Pavement Section Master List Area
Variables Secondary Tab
Life-Cycle Costs Secondary Tab
Section 4. Cost and Performance Data Sets
Grouped Versus Tabular Format
Grouped Format
Tabular Format
Defining Cost Data Sets
Example 1: Expected Relative Costs Associated with Different Base/Subbase Types
Example 2: Expected Relative Costs Associated with Different Initial/Smoothness Levels
Defining Performance Data Sets
Example 1: Expected Relative Performance Associated with Different Base/Subbase Types
Example 2: Expected Relative Performance Values Associated with Different Initial/Smoothness Levels
Section 5. Defining Category Ranking Factor Sets
Introduction to the Category Rankings Tab
Category Rankings Set Master List Area
Category Ranking Set Details Area
Defining Category Ranking Sets
Section 6. Analysis Session Setup
Introduction to the Analysis Setup Tab
Choosing an Analysis Type 192
Direct Comparison Analyses
Sensitivity Analysis Sessions
Defining Direct Comparison Analysis Sessions
Changing the Name of the Direct Comparison Analysis Session
Defining the First Pavement Section (Section A)
Defining the Second Pavement Section (Section B)
Selection of Other Settings
Additional Information Area
Defining Sensitivity Analysis Sessions
Changing the Name of the Sensitivity Analysis Session
Selecting a Principal Pavement Section To Be Used as the Basis of the�Sensitivity Analysis Session
Define the Type and Parameters of the Sensitivity Analysis Session
Selection of Fixed Settings
Additional Information Area
Section 7. Analysis Session Results
Viewing Direct Comparison Analysis Results
Direct Comparison Analysis-Full Report
Direct Comparison Analysis-Basic Tables Only
Viewing Sensitivity Analysis Session Results
Sensitivity Analysis-Detailed Results Report
Sensitivity Analysis-Simplified Output Report
Figure 1. Design feature benefits
Figure 2. Software main window with the Introduction tab displayed
Figure 3. Contents of the File menu
Figure 4. Section Definition tab with the Variables secondary tab displayed
Figure 5. Example of the Import pop-up dialog box
Figure 6. Section Definition tab with the Life-Cycle Costs secondary tab displayed
Figure 7. Global Life-Cycle Cost Parameters pop-up dialog box
Figure 8. Cost/Performance Data Sets tab with the Grouped Format controls for the Cost Data Sets secondary tab visible
Figure 9. Cost/Performance Data Sets tab with the Tabular Format controls for the Cost Data Sets secondary tab visible
Figure 10. Example of using the provided custom design feature fields to reflect an�agency's custom design features
Figure 11. Example showing chosen relative cost values associated with a 150-mm (6-inch) dense-graded asphalt-treated base
Figure 12. Example showing defined relative performance values associated with different base type choices
Figure 13. Example showing defined relative performance values associated with different initial smoothness choices
Figure 14. Category Rankings tab
Figure 15. Example of the Analysis Setup tab
Figure 16. Example of the Direct Comparison analysis session setup dialog box
Figure 17. Example of the Sensitivity Analysis session setup dialog box
Figure 18. Example of a Sensitivity Analysis session comparing both cost and performance data sets
Figure 19. Example of a Full Report summary resulting from a Direct Comparison analysis 200
Figure 20. Example of the Basic Tables Only output report resulting from a Direct Comparison analysis
Figure 21. Example of a Detailed Results summary table output resulting from a Sensitivity Analysis session
Table 1. Summary of the required number of samples for performance questionnaires
Table 2. Summary of the required number of samples for relative cost questionnaires
Table 3. Summary of performance ratings
Table 4. PCC pavement performance models used to evaluate effect of design features
Table 5. Details of the recommended category ranking factor set
Table 6. Summary of contractor initial cost ratings
Table 7. Pavement design features defining the Standard pavement section
Table 8. Example of use of category ranking factors to determine an overall modified performance rating
Table 9. Example showing the matching of category ranking factors and performance
Table 10. Example showing a contradiction in the matching of category ranking factors and performance
Table 11. Design features that differ in the current example
Table 12. Expected percent changes in cost and performance associated with the changed design features
Table 13. Cost and performance computation example
Table 14. Summary of two custom sections being compared (Section A and Section B)
Table 15. Expected percent changes in cost and performance associated with the changed design features of Section B
Table 16. Computation details associated with the changed design features of Section B
Table 17. Summary of comparisons of Sections A and B to the Standard pavement section
Table 18. Raw data and summary of agency (performance) surveys
Table 19. Raw data and summary of contractor (cost) surveys
Table 20. Available design features organized by design feature category
Table 21. Unique set of pavement design features defining the Standard pavement section
Table 22. Summary of Subgrade, Base/Subbase, Drainage dependency
Table 23. Summary of Thickness/Slab Size, Cross Section, Joints/Load Transfer, Joint Sealing dependency
Table 24. Details of the default ranking factor set
Table 25. Example computations using entered category ranking factors
