Improving Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) of Pavements with Geosynthetics Used as Separators with Real Life-Cycle Cost Data

Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) is widely used to compare pavement design alternatives and evaluate long-term economic efficiency. Geosynthetics have been widely used in flexible pavements as separator layers between the base, subbase, and subgrade to improve long-term pavement performance and extend service life. LCCA is routinely used as an important asset management tool for evaluating agency and user costs over the life of a pavement. However, the accuracy of current LCCA approaches for pavements with geosynthetic separators remains uncertain because pavement performance prediction models are often based on limited laboratory testing or short-term field monitoring data. Variations in model assumptions, design inputs, maintenance activities, and user cost estimates can significantly affect LCCA results and may obscure the benefits of geosynthetics. Since many pavements constructed during the early implementation of LCCA have now experienced major rehabilitation activities or reached a substantial portion of their service life, state departments of transportation (DOTs) have accumulated significant field performance, maintenance, and cost data. These data provide an opportunity to compare actual life-cycle costs with the original LCCA predictions and to improve future analyses. The objective of this research is to (a) use real life-cycle cost data from flexible pavements with geosynthetics used as a separator between the base/subbase and subgrade to validate the LCCA performed at the project design phase, (b) quantify the differences between LCCA results and real life-cycle costs and identify the factors that contribute to any discrepancies, and (c) make recommendations for future LCCA models for other geosynthetic functions.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=6044
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $450,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 10-162

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Li, Zhiye

• Start Date: 20260608
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Flexible pavements; Geosynthetics; Life cycle costing; Pavement design
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01992226
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 10-162
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Jun 10 2026 11:16AM