Pavements Sustainability 101

Tribal Transportation Program Webinar

Sustainable Pavement Systems

Manuel Sanchez

February 17, 2021
FHWA 

SUSTAINABLE PAVEMENTS 

PROGRAM

Program and Products

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Vision and Mission

•To advance the knowledge and practice of 

designing, constructing, and maintaining 

more sustainable pavement through:

−Stakeholder engagement

−Education

−Development of guidance and tools

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FHWA Sustainability Ambassadors 

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A group of FHWA employees from different 

disciplines.

Sustainability Ambassadors Goal

To expand the knowledge and outreach 

within their field that complements the 

Sustainable Pavements Program. 
Key Takeaways

• Definition and characteristics of 

pavement sustainability

• Benefits of moving toward 

sustainable pavement systems

• Current sustainability practices

• Emerging trends and 

technologies

• Tools to measure and quantify 

sustainability

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https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/sustainability/ref_doc.cfm
SUSTAINABLE PAVEMENTS 

AND 

THE PAVEMENT LIFE CYCLE

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Definition: Sustainable Pavements

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1. Achieve the engineering goals.

2. Preserve and (ideally) restore surrounding 

ecosystems.

3. Use financial, human, and environmental 

resources wisely.

4. Meet basic human needs such as health, 

safety, equity, employment, comfort, and 

happiness. 
Opportunities for Improving Sustainability 

Exist Throughout the Pavement Life Cycle

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Image Source: FHWA/APTech
WHY SHOULD WE CARE 

ABOUT PAVEMENT 

SUSTAINABILITY?

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Benefits of Being More Sustainable

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• Reduced 

pavement lifecycle costs

• Reduced energy

• Reduced noise

• Improved air 

quality

• Improved safety

• Improved ride

• Conservation of 

resources
HOW DO WE CONSIDER 

SUSTAINABILITY IN DESIGN?

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Characteristics of Sustainability

•Sustainability is a continuum 

•Sustainability is not an add-on value

•Sustainability requires innovation

•Sustainability is context sensitive

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Sustainability = Good Engineering Practice

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Access

Healthy Life

Safety

Culture/History

Aesthetics

Education

Equality

Fair Wages

Governance

Transition

Livability

Finances

Cost-Benefit

Clean Air

Clean Water

Clean Land

Ecological Res.

Water Res.

Consumption

Renewables

Emissions

Employment

Sustainability...

• Considers all life cycle stages

• Looks for continuous and 

ongoing improvements

• Prioritizes and operationalizes 

values through a conscious 

effort

• IS NOT an add-on value to a 

system

Example Sustainability 

Priorities/Values
Trade-Off Considerations

• Improving one outcome may compromise another

• Consideration of Opportunity Costs

• Priorities/values of the organization/project

−Which sustainability components

are particularly valued?

−How do we prioritizes these values?

−How do we operationalize these values?

• Risk

−What risks do we face?

−How much risk is acceptable? 

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SUMMARY

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Key Takeaways

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•“Sustainable” in the context of pavements 

refers to system characteristics that 

encompass a pavement’s ability to:

–Achieve engineering goals

–Preserve ecosystems

–Use resources judiciously

–Meet basic human needs

• Consider the entire pavement life-cycle
Key Takeaways

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• Sustainability is a continuum 

• Sustainability is not an add-on value

• Sustainability requires innovation

• Sustainability is context sensitive

• Sustainability can be measured

• Sustainability involves trade-offs

• The FHWA’s Sustainable Pavements Program 

provides many resources to help agencies
How do we Measure 

Sustainability?

Tribal Transportation Program Webinar

Sustainable Pavement Systems

Monica Jurado

February 17, 2021
HOW DO WE MEASURE 

PAVEMENT SUSTAINABILITY?

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Balance of the Triple Bottom Line

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Life-Cycle Cost Analysis

(LCCA)

Life-Cycle Assessment

(LCA)

Sustainability 

Rating Systems

(e.g., INVEST)

Performance 

Testing

Performance 

Testing

Image Source: FHWA/APTech
Performance Tests

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Photo credit: S. Muench
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Life-Cycle Cost Analysis in 

Pavement Design – Interim 

Technical Bulletin

Walls and Smith (for FHWA)

1998

Recommends procedures for 

conducting LCCA of pavements. 

Set’s standard for inclusion of user 

costs (WZ only) and probabilistic 

analysis. 

USDOT and various other websites

• http://isddc.dot.gov/OLPFiles/FH

WA/013017.pdf

Title:

Authors:

Published:

Description:

Where:

Life-Cycle Cost Analysis
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https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/pub_details.cfm?id=935 https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/pub_details.cfm?id=998

Life-Cycle Assessment
Infrastructure Sustainability Rating 

Systems Examples

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• INVEST

•Greenroads

•Envision

• LEED for Neighborhood Development

https://www.sustainablehighways.org/
Reasons to Measure Sustainability 

•Achieving sustainability and performance 

goals

•Satisfying accounting mandates

•Providing decision support

• Improving agency processes

• Improving public image

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What Can I Learn from This Presentation?

•What is life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) 

and how can it help highway agencies?

•What are the steps in the pavement LCCA 

process?

•What are some tools available to conduct 

LCCA?

•Where can I find more information on 

LCCA?

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WHAT IS 

LIFE-CYCLE COST 

ANALYSIS (LCCA)?

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LCCA
What Is LCCA?

•Analytical tool to provide cost 

comparisons between two or more 

competing alternatives on a project

•Alternatives are assumed to produce 

equivalent benefits

•For pavements, LCCA considers

−Direct agency costs 

−User costs

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What Are the Benefits of Conducting LCCA?

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• Reduced 

pavement lifecycle costs and 

impact to users

• Reduced energy

• Reduced noise

• Improved air 

quality

• Improved safety

• Improved ride

• Conservation of 

resources

Primary LCCA 

Benefit

LCCA can be used with Life Cycle Assessment 

(LCA) and Sustainability Rating Systems to 

improve environmental and social performance
How Can LCCA Help Highway Agencies? 

• Comparing materials for pavements

• Comparing maintenance, preservation, and 

rehabilitation strategies

• Comparing construction work zone effects

• Comparing alternative bids

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• LCCA helps identify opportunities to reduce agency and 

user costs throughout the pavement life cycle

• LCCA helps inform and guide decision-making for policy,

planning, or design
WHAT ARE SOME TOOLS 

AVAILABLE TO CONDUCT 

LCCA?

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FHWA RealCost Software

•Widely accepted 

and adopted LCCA 

tool for pavements 

(in the U.S.)

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https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/asstmgmt/lccasoft.cfm
WHERE CAN I FIND MORE 

INFORMATION ON LCCA?

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Available Resources and Tools

•FHWA LCCA Technical Bulletin

•FHWA RealCost Tool

•FHWA LCCA Primer

•FHWA LCCA Factsheet

•FHWA LCCA Webpage

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SUMMARY

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Key Takeaways

•Economic impact is an important 

component of pavement sustainability

• LCCA is a well-established process for 

assessing and comparing the monetarily 

quantifiable aspects of competing 

pavement design and rehab alternatives

• LCCA should be used with appropriate 

inputs

• RealCost is a pavement LCCA tool 

available.

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Maintenance and 

Preservation Treatments to 

Improve Sustainability

Tribal Transportation Program Webinar

Sustainable Pavement Systems

Migdalia Carrion

February 17, 2021
What Can I Learn 

From This Presentation?

•What is pavement preservation?

•What are the impacts of preservation on 

pavement sustainability?

•What are some common pavement 

preservation techniques for asphalt- and 

concrete-surface pavements?

•What are some future opportunities?

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Opportunities for Improving Sustainability 

Exist Throughout the Pavement Life Cycle

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Image Source: FHWA/APTech
WHAT IS PAVEMENT 

PRESERVATION?

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What is Pavement Preservation?

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•Keeping good roads in good 

condition

•Employs maintenance, 

preventive maintenance, 

and minor rehabilitation 

treatments

−Typically low-cost, lowenvironmental-impact 

activities

Images Source: APTech
Impact of Pavement Preservation

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Image Source: FHWA
Selection of Preservation Techniques

• Consider:

−Pavement type

−Type and extent

of distress

−Climate

−Cost

−Expected life

−Functional requirements

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•Other factors:

−Traffic management

−Traffic volumes

−Contractor and 

material availability
WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS 

OF PRESERVATION 

ON PAVEMENT SUSTAINABILITY?

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Preservation Sustainability Benefits

• Conserves energy and virgin materials

• Restores/maintains functionality

−Improves safety 

−Reduces noise

−Improves smoothness and fuel efficiency

−Enhanced aesthetics

•Extends pavement life

• Impacts are context-sensitive

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Preservation on Low-Volume Roads

• Use-stage impacts less 

important 

−Agency impacts dominate 

decision making

−Minimize treatment 

application and the amount of 

material used for each treatment

−Optimize treatment selection and timing 

to avoid major structural damage

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Image Source: Pixabay 
Preservation on High-Volume Roads

• Use-stage impacts more

important

−Impacts of preservation 

activities minor in 

comparison

−Vehicle operations 

can dominate

•Agency and user impacts/costs must be 

considered

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Image Source: Pixabay
Agency Impacts vs. User Impacts

•Agencies typically focused on minimizing 

life-cycle costs 

−Appropriate for low-volume facilities

•Agencies need to consider broader 

sustainability impact of their choices for 

high-volume roads

−Keep smooth pavements smooth, safe 

pavements safe, and quiet pavements 

quiet

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WHAT ARE SOME COMMON 

PRESERVATION TREATMENTS 

FOR ASPHALT-SURFACED 

PAVEMENTS?

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Crack Filling/Sealing

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Image Source: FHWA

•Placement of adhesive 

material into or over asphalt 

pavement cracks

•Extends pavement life by 

keeping pavement sealed 

against moisture infiltration
Patching

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Image Source: FHWA

• Used to treat localized 

distresses

−Partial-depth patches for 

surface defects

−Full-depth patches to 

address structural issues

• Restores structural integrity 

and ride quality
Fog Seal/Rejuvenator

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Image Source: FHWA

•Addition of fresh asphalt 

binder to existing asphalt 

surface

−Seals pavement surface

−Prevents or slows 

oxidation

−Prevents further loss of 

aggregates from existing 

pavement
Chip Seal

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Image Source: FHWA

•Asphalt binder applied to 

pavement surface followed 

by aggregate chips rolled 

into binder

−Seals pavement surface

−Extends service life

−Improve aesthetics
Slurry Seal

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Image Source: FHWA

• Mixture of well-graded 

aggregate and asphalt 

emulsion spread over 

pavement surface

−Seals pavement service

−Extends service life

−Improves friction

−Improves aesthetics
Microsurfacing

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Image Source: FHWA

• Mixture of well-graded 

aggregate, mineral filler, 

and polymer-modified 

asphalt emulsion spread 

over pavement surface

−Seals pavement service

−Extends service life

−Improves friction

−Improves aesthetics
Ultra-Thin and Thin Asphalt Overlays

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Image Source: FHWA

• Ultra-Thin: 0.625 to 0.75 inches

•Thin: 0.75 to 1.50 inches

•Addresses minor surface distress

• Restores friction

• Improves ride quality

• Improves aesthetics
Hot In-Place Recycling (HIR)

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•Binder softened and loosened, mixed with 

recycled aggregates/rejuvenators/virgin 

asphalt before placement and compaction

• Limited to top 2 inches

•Addresses minor surface defects

• Improves ride quality

• Improves aesthetics
Cold In-Place Recycling (CIR)

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• Cold milling; sizing reclaimed asphalt 

pavement (RAP); mixing RAP with asphalt 

emulsion, recycling additives, and new 

aggregate to produce cold mix

•Addresses surface distresses, fixes rutting

• Corrects minor profile deficiencies
Ultra-Thin Bonded Wearing Course

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•Gap-graded or open-graded polymer or 

rubber-modified asphalt layer placed on thick 

tack coat

−Seals pavement surface

−Addresses surface defects

−Restores friction

−Improve ride quality

−Improves aesthetics
Bonded Concrete Overlays

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Image Source: FHWA

•Placement of thin concrete 

layer (2 to 6 inches) onto a 

cold-milled asphalt 

pavement

−Short panel dimensions

−May include fibers

•Extends service life

• Restores friction and 

eliminates profile issues

• Improves aesthetics
Relative Sustainability Impacts 

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Treatment

Relative

Treatment 

Life

Relative 

Initial 

Cost

Relative 

Environmental

Impact

Societal Impact

Crack Filling and 

Sealing  $ Low

Reduced traffic delays, less 

pleasing aesthetics, potentially 

rough

Asphalt Patching

 $ Variable Reduced traffic delays, negative 

impact on ride quality and noise

Fog Seal  $ Med Reduced traffic delays, improves 

aesthetics

Chip Seal  $$ Med

Increased safety (friction), 

reduced traffic delays, rough 

surface, noise

Slurry Seal  $$ Med

Increased safety (friction), 

reduced traffic delays, improved 

aesthetics
Relative Sustainability Impacts 

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Treatment

Relative

Treatment 

Life

Relative 

Initial 

Cost

Relative 

Environmental

Impact

Societal Impact

Microsurfacing  $$ Med to High

Increased safety (friction), 

reduced traffic delays, improved 

aesthetics

Ultra-thin HMA 

Overlay  $$$ High

Improved ride quality, fuel

savings, increased safety 

(friction, splash/spray), improved 

aesthetics

Hot In-Place 

Recycling

 $$$ Med to High

Cold In-Place 

Recycling

 $$$ Med to High

Bonded Concrete 

Overlay  $$$$ Med

Improved safety (friction and 

drainage), improved ride quality 

and aesthetics
ASPHALT PAVEMENT PRESERVATION:

WHAT ARE SOME FUTURE 

OPPORTUNITIES? 

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Future Opportunities

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• Improved treatments that last longer and use 

less materials

•Optimization of treatment selection using 

pavement management systems

• Improvements in paving machines: tack coat 

placement immediately ahead of hot-mix 

laydown

• Improved compaction

• Improvements in construction quality
WHAT ARE SOME COMMON 

PRESERVATION TREATMENTS 

FOR CONCRETE-SURFACED 

PAVEMENTS?

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Joint Resealing/Crack Sealing

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Image Source: FHWA

•Preparation of joints/crack 

and installation of new 

sealant material

•Extends pavement life by 

keeping pavement sealed 

against moisture infiltration
Diamond Grinding

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Image Source: ACPA

• Removal of thin layer of 

material (0.12 to 0.25 

inches) from concrete 

surface

•Addresses faulting and 

other surface irregularities

•Provides riding surface that 

is as good or better than 

original pavement
Bonded Concrete Overlays

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•Placement of relatively thin concrete layer 

(2 to 4 inches) over existing pavement after 

deteriorated areas 

are repaired

• Improves friction 

and ride quality

• Reduces noise 

emissions

• Improves aesthetics Image Source: FHWA
Diamond Grooving

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• Cutting of narrow, discrete 

grooves on concrete 

pavement surface

• Improves safety

−Reduces hydroplaning

−Reduces splash/spray

• Reduces noise

Image Source: APTech
Slab Stabilization/Slab Jacking

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•Slab Stabilization: Fill voids under concrete 

pavement and restores support

•Slab Jacking: Injection of cement grout or 

expansive polyurethane material to restore 

settled slab to original profile

• Restores slab support and reduces 

deflections
Partial-Depth Repairs

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Image Source: FHWA

• Used to address distresses 

limited to top one-third/onehalf of slab

• Restores ride quality and 

structural integrity of 

localized areas
Full-Depth Repairs

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Image Source: APTech

• Used to address 

deteriorated joints or 

entire slabs

•Extends through entire 

thickness of existing 

slab

• Restores ride quality 

and structural integrity
Dowel Bar Retrofit

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Image Source: FHWA

•Placement of dowel bars 

across joints or cracks with 

poor load transfer

−Provides/restores load 

transfer

−Reduces deflections
Cross Stitching

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•Technique to maintain load transfer 

across non-working

cracks

•Keeps crack tight

•Alternative to 

full-depth repairs 

if implemented 

properly

Image Source: ACPA
Relative Sustainability Impacts

Treatment

Relative

Treatment 

Life

Relative 

Initial 

Cost

Relative 

Environmental

Impact

Societal Impact

Joint Resealing  $ Low

Reduced traffic delays, less 

pleasing aesthetics, potentially 

rough

Slab 

Stabilization/

Slab Jacking

 $$$ Low to Medium Improves ride quality when 

combined with other treatments

Diamond 

Grinding  $$ Med to High Increases safety (friction), 

reduces tire-pavement noise

Diamond 

Grooving  $$ Low to Med Increases safety, reduces tirepavement noise

Partial-Depth 

Repair

 $$$ Variable

Improved ride quality, rapid-set 

materials can reduce traffic 

delays

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Relative Sustainability Impacts

Treatment

Relative

Treatment 

Life

Relative 

Initial 

Cost

Relative 

Environmental

Impact

Societal Impact

Full-Depth

Repair

 $$$$ Med to High Precast panels can reduce traffic 

delays, potential aesthetic issues

Dowel Bar 

Retrofit  $$$ Variable

Improves ride quality (controls 

faulting), aesthetics negatively 

affected

Cross Stitching  $$$ Low Improves long-term performance

Retrofitted Edge 

Drains

 $$$$ Variable Improves long-term performance

Bonded

Concrete 

Overlay

 $$$ Medium Improved friction, ride quality, 

drainage, and aesthetics

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CONCRETE PAVEMENT PRESERVATION: 

WHAT ARE SOME FUTURE 

OPPORTUNITIES? 

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Future Opportunities

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• Improved treatments that last longer and use 

less materials

•Optimization of treatment selection using 

pavement management systems

• Use of precast solutions

•Alternative repair materials
SUMMARY

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Key Takeaways

•Keep good pavements good, smooth 

pavements smooth, quiet pavements quiet, 

and safe pavements safe

• Multiple treatment options exist for asphalt 

and concrete pavements

• Relationship between pavement 

preservation and sustainability is context 

sensitive

• Consider entire life cycle when making 

treatment selection decisions

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Example Products

• Guide Documents:

−Towards Sustainable Pavement Systems

−Pavement Life Cycle Assessment Framework

• Tech Briefs on following topics:

−Pavement Sustainability

−Life Cycle Assessment

−Improving Resiliency of Pavement Systems

−Strategies for Improving Sustainability of 

Asphalt/Concrete Pavements

• Webinar series on pavement sustainability

• Sustainable Pavements Program Road Map

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To Learn More:

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For More Information

•FHWA Sustainable Pavements Website

−www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/sustainability

•FHWA Contacts:

−Heather Dylla (Heather.Dylla@dot.gov)

−Monica Jurado (Monica.Jurado@dot.gov)

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Q&A

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/sustainability

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