Improving the Strategy Selection Process in the Caltrans Maintenance Technical Advisory Guide

Abstract

The Maintenance Technical Advisory Guide (MTAG) developed by Caltrans contains all maintenance and preservation treatments used. It includes guidance on materials, design, construction, quality control, project selection, and a checklist for successfully utilizing the treatments. The MTAG has been widely used by State and local agencies of California. It has been a great aid in the increasing usage of pavement preservation in California. Chapter 3 of the MTAG provides the framework for strategy selection for all flexible pavement maintenance and preservation treatments. However, several new technologies have been used by Caltrans since 2008. For example, warm mix asphalt has allowed the Department to place rubberized hot mix asphalt in night, in cool coastal environment, and extended the paving season. Some old asphalt materials such as Performance Based Asphalt (PBA) and Aged Residue (AR) graded binders have been replaced by Superpave Performance Grade (PG) and polymer modified asphalts. Therefore, these treatment selection tables needed to be revised. The purpose of this paper is to report on the updates made to the Chapter 3, treatment strategy selection, which includes: (1) updating the two treatment selection matrix tables with recent treatments and their performance; (2) adding life cycle cost analysis to the treatment selection process; and (3) utilizing the treatment selection online program developed by the California Pavement Preservation Center (CP2C). The online strategy selection program streamlines the treatment selection process, conducts life cycle cost analysis, and generates reports as references.