LIFE CYCLE COST ANALYSIS OF FLEXIBLE AND RIGID PAVEMTN MATRERIAL

Abstract

In the developing country the infrastructure development give way for the development of country. On the same time the investment to the project development requires more cost and efficient maintenance. where we are having restricted amount for investment, then the alternative methods of material and construction methodology has to adopt for best output. Infrastructure basically consists highway, airports, seaports, bridges etc. The road sector is very necessary because more than 60% of the passengers and goods are trawling through road. Hence good connectivity will ensure faster movement of traffic if the pavement is in good condition. For ensuring good condition construction and maintaining of pavement has to carried out based on type of pavement. Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Pavement (LCCA) is one tool to study of transportation project relating pavements starting from its design phase to its
entire service life. It determine the total cost and value of item over the entire life cycle of pavement. The cost of road construction includes design expenses, material extraction, construction equipment, rehabilitation and maintenance strategies. In the present study a stretch of 24km National Highway of Butwal, Nepal was considered and various data like pavement performance, material, traffic, climatic condition and economic data were collected and integrated. Comparative life cycle cost for flexible pavement and rigid pavement are carried out by designing a pavement for 30year life. In this flexible pavement was designed for design period of 10 year with maintenance of 15 years and rigid pavement for 30 years to finalize optimum performing pavement based on construction and maintenance. Based on above study we conclude that construction cost of rigid pavement are 28% more than flexible pavement. Total quantity of material in case of flexible pavement is 8% greater than that of rigid pavement.