A Rational Approach for Selecting the Optimum Asphalt Pavement Preventive and Rehabilitation Treatments – Two Practical Examples from Ontario

There is an array of options of pavement preservation treatments and pavement rehabilitation. It is challenging for pavement engineers to stay abreast of these developments, but it is totally bewildering for most municipalities. They are expected to make rational decisions to ensure the best use of scarce financial resourses in maintaining rapidly deteriorating road networks. All rehabilitation and preventive treatments are not equal and many have significant limitations with respect to their ability to solve specific road distresses. Thus, a straight cost comparison of rehabilitation and preventive treatment costs can be totally misleading. To add to the confusion facing municipalities is the influence of paving contractors who can be very persuasive about promoting their own technology. This paper describes four simple steps that municipalities should follow, to put them in a better position to make informed decisions with respect to expenitures on pavement rehabilitation. It also describes the practical application of the selection process on a pavement preventive maintenance project in the Town of Whitby, and pavement rehabilitation design in one of the municipalities in Ontario.