Evaluating life cycle costs of perpetual pavements in China using operational pavement management system

Highway transportation is considered as vital factor in China's economic growth; many high grade highways have been constructed in China during the last decades. The research and application of perpetual asphalt pavement (PP) technology have been deployed in China since 2000. The semi-rigid pavement has been normally considered as typical pavement of high class highways in the design according to the Chinese experience. The objective of this research is to evaluate the performance of different Chinese perpetual pavements using operational pavement management system and to examine its suitability for use in the design and construction of more economical and durable pavements. It has been found that the use of thin asphalt layers over semi-rigid pavement foundation in PP structure will create more sustainable, economical, and durable PP structures in comparison with typical thick asphalt layers PP structures.