Life cycle cost analysis of Portland cement slurry seal and microsurfacing to correct rutting

ABSTRACT Portland cement slurry seal and microsurfacing can both be used as pavement preservation treatments to fill ruts, which extends service life and decreases road surface life cycle cost. Microsurfacing has a history for being a technically effective and cost-efficient solution for correcting pavement rutting in both asphalt and concrete pavement surfaces. On the other hand, Portland cement slurry seal is a relatively new product that provides an alternative rut filling solution. The potential of both treatments as rut fillers is generally unrecognized and as such, they are both underutilized in that role. This paper compares the life cycle costs of both treatments, using friction data as the primary performance indicator derived from field trial skid data collected over a period of 36 months on the same highway. The paper finds that each alternative performed comparably with regard to surface friction deterioration, and the life cycle cost output was such that either treatment is an economically feasible solution for filling ruts in both asphalt and concrete pavements.