TECHNICAL OPTIONS AND ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE ---PRE CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS 3RD IRF MIDDLE EAST REGIONAL MEETING. TOWARDS BETTER ROAD PERFORMANCE, RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, 13-18 FEBRUARY 1988. 6 VOLUMES.

This paper reviews the framework for technical and economic evaluation of road construction and maintenance policies, and the principles for optimization of strategies within constrained budgets, involving life-cycle analysis, and including road construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation and maintenance costs, as well as road user costs. The principal distress modes for gravel and bituminous paved roads are outlined, and maintenance strategies for different classes of roads are analyzed. For earth and gravel roads the major determinant of roughness and hence the cost of operating vehicles thereon, is the frequency of blading. Upgrading of roads from gravel to bituminous pavement should normally occur in the interval 150-400 vehicles per day, depending on expected traffic growth, discount rate, and the relative costs of materials used for construction. The question of time-staging of construction is critically dependent on the likelihood of adequate future maintenance and timely upgrading. Tradeoffs between economic optimality and road agency expenditures are analyzed, and policies regarding axle load limits and control are outlined.(a) for the covering abstract of the proceedings see IRRD 817883.