Selecting a Preventive Maintenance Treatment for Flexible Pavements

Abstract

Maintenance engineers have been applying treatments to both flexible and rigid pavements ever since there have been these types of pavements. The types and application of various treatments for both corrective and preventive maintenance have been the subject of research studies over a number of years, and many publications have reported these findings. FHWA recently initiated an effort to encourage departments of transportation at all levels to begin, or extend, the practice of preventive maintenance, since there simply is not enough money available to continue the types of maintenance currently employed. Flexible pavement preventive maintenance is specifically addressed, including the types of pavements that are candidates for preventive maintenance, the available treatments, where and when they should be used, their cost-effectiveness, factors to be considered in selecting the appropriate treatment strategy, and a methodology to determine the most effective treatment for a particular distress.