Evaluation of the Performance, Cost-Effectiveness, and Timing of Various Preventive Maintenances: Interim Report: Fid-Bau Portal

Evaluation of the Performance, Cost-Effectiveness, and Timing of Various Preventive Maintenances: Interim Report

S. Shuler

This research is being conducted to evaluate the performance of various preventive maintenance treatments over time and under different environmental conditions to assess the economics of each treatment type. The first three tasks of this research are nearing completion. Task 1 is a review of the state of the practice for preventive maintenance. This review includes a conventional literature survey and interviews of maintenance and construction personnel throughout the state. Task 2 is a draft manual of best practices of pavement preventive maintenance and Task 3 includes selection and construction of full-scale test pavements for field evaluation of various preventive maintenance treatments. Results of Task 1 indicate there are three primary techniques utilized in Colorado for preventive maintenance of asphalt pavements and three for concrete pavements. These are for asphalt pavements: 1) crack sealing, 2) chip seals, and 3) thin hot mix asphalt overlays and for concrete pavements: 1) joint resealing, 2) cross-stitching, and 3) micro-grinding. Task 2 has resulted in a preliminary draft of what will become a best practices manual for the preventive maintenance techniques currently used in Colorado as well as additional methods used by other agencies. Full scale test sections were constructed as part of Task 3 in 2005 and some additional test sections previously constructed were also included for measurement of future performance. These test sections include crack sealing, chip seals, thin overlays, joint resealing, cross-stitching and micro-grinding. Implementation: This in an interim report of research in progress. Implementation is not warranted at this time.