Life cycle cost analysis of perpetual runway pavements; Canadian perspective

The principal objective of this project was to evaluate a perpetual runway pavement (PRP) design in a Canadian life cycle cost perspective. Accordingly, this design was compared to a conventional runway pavement (CRP) one by using a life cycle cost analysis (LCCA), represented as a significantly helpful tool of choice evaluation. To compare two accurate designs, the software FAARFIELD 1.42 was used to compute the structural designs for both options as well as the best conventional practices. Data was collected from Toronto Pearson Airport�s traffic and from the availability of materials in the Province of Ontario. The LCCA required a calculation of the initial cost, the distribution of the maintenance, rehabilitation, and reconstructions (MRR) during the analysed period of 50 years, and an estimation of the user cost for the two options. The results showed that the PRP was more likely to be a superior option due to the significantly lower cost, in the long run, the greater serviceability, and the reliability that provides to the airport in terms of user cost. All this independently from the fact that the initial cost was considerably higher than that of a CRP. To forward this paper, the environmental assessment should be further investigated as well as the mechanical behaviour of a perpetual design under aircrafts' loads.