Results of a case study determining economic benefits of accelerated pavement testing research in California

Abstract

This paper highlights findings of a case study using cost-benefit analysis to determine economic benefits resulting from Accelerated Pavement Testing (APT) with a Heavy Vehicle Simulator (HVS) in California. The University of California Pavement Research Center (at UC Davis and UC Berkeley) and its research partners started APT in 1994 on behalf of the California Department of Transportation and is now in its 17th year of existence. The results presented in this paper follow a pilot study intended to define a method suitable for measuring the direct economic benefits from APT. The method used was initially developed and applied in Australia and later enhanced in South Africa for the respective APT programs. Enhancements to the Australian/South African methods and application to California APT program are discussed. The case study evaluated benefits (in terms of agency and road user cost savings) from HVS tests performed to validate innovative pavement mixes and designs. The method was successfully applied and showed benefit-cost ratios ranging from about 2:1 to 17:1 (depending on discount rate), which is in the range of previous studies in Australia and South Africa. Due to the uncertainties and subjective nature of this technique, sensitivity analysis is recommended to determine a range of savings instead of a single benefit-cost ratio.