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One key component of comparing pavements is developing equivalent designs. In this analysis the equivalent designs were developed using design procedures from each pavement industry. The concrete thickness was based on ACPA’s new state-of-art StreetPave design software and the asphalt thickness was determined using the Asphalt Institute’s procedure. By using both industry-recognized procedures, local agencies can make informed pavement decisions based solely on the estimated total load carry capacity for a given design period.

StreetPave incorporates a life-cycle cost module so designerscan evaluate the total costs passed on to the taxpayers for30 to 40 years or longer.

The examples illustrated in this chart were for a Mean Average Annual Temperature (MAAT) of 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Figure 1, shows the various MAAT regions for determining asphalt pavement thicknesses. Concrete pavements are not sensitive to environmental temperatures and thicknesses do not increase with rising mean average ambient temperatures.

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