Comparison of CRCP and JCP based on a 30-year performance history

Abstract

The choice between continuously reinforced concrete pavement(CRCP) and jointed concrete pavement(JCP) for different concrete pavement applications has long been controversial. Research on these two types of pavement has been conducted continuously for decades, but existing studies have mostly focused on life cycle costs (LCCs) with numerous assumptions or have predicted life expectancy by using short-term performance results. In this study, comparing CRCP and JCP based on real performance data and actual maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) cost data collected over 30 years from the Jungbu Expressway in Korea. To assess performance, the service life and pavement conditions of each pavement type were compared. To assess the cost, construction cost and M&R cost data collected over 30 years were compared. In terms of performance, CRCP was superior to JCP based on the 31-year service life of CRCP and the 28-year service life of JCP. In terms of pavement conditions, CRCP was also superior to JCP based on the Highway Pavement Condition Index (HPCI) and International Roughness Index (IRI). Furthermore, in terms of cost, although the construction cost of CRCP was slightly higher than that of JCP, the total cost of CRCP, including the M&R cost, was 8.5% less than that of JCP.