Life-Cycle Cost Analysis for Infrastructure/Pavement Design

Abstract

Asset management and decision-support tools at the planning phase and throughout the life-cycle ofcivil infrastructure projects are essential for stakeholders charged with the determination of costeffectivedesign-solutions over an asset’s useful life. The need for a life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) to guide economic decision-making when comparing competing alternatives is explored by casestudy that juxtaposes the pavement design options of: concrete; and, asphalt. Discussion below outlines briefly the processes involved in developing a new infrastructure LCCA model. Specific design alternatives of: continually reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP); and, thin asphalt surfaced unbound granular pavement (AC) were input for direct whole-life cost comparison. Using life-span periods of 30, 60 and 100 years, with a discount rate calculated at 8%, (incorporating sensitivity analyses) the findings suggest that the asphalt pavement alternative is the cheapest in all cases, with a clearance of up to 34%. Overall, the outcomes of this project validate and vindicate the need for an LCCA for infrastructure projects, while specifically recommending that an asphalt pavement is a cheaper alternative than a concrete pavement in this particular environments locally.