A Comparison of Life Cycle Costs of Asphalt and Concrete Pavements by Computer Modelling

In the beginning of the 1990s the coiiciete industry tried to introduce newly developed concrete pavements on the Danish market, which is dominated by asphalt pavements. A number of rough estimates were carried out by all the involved parts, showing completely different results. In this paper a non-biased intensive study of the life cycle costs of asphalt and concrete pavements, including state-of-the-art concrete pavements (ECOPAVE and PCC) is rendered, The study shows, that concrete pavements have lower life cycle costs than asphalt pavements for Society, with increase of advantage directly proportionate to increase in traffic. Fui the road authority, ECOPAVE pavements proved to be less expensive than asphalt pavements. In other countries, where the difference between construction of asphalt and concrete pavements is lower than in Denmark, the concrete pavements would be even more favourable from an economical point of view.