Comparison Between Suitability of Flexible Pavement and Rigid Pavement: A Case Study of Ahmedabad - Bhavnagar Highway

Abstract

Majority of pavements in India are flexible pavements which show early sign of distresses and also require periodic maintenance for strengthening. Now a days focus is on pavements which are maintenance free or have low maintenance and economical than flexible pavements. Rigid pavements are a good alternative to flexible pavements, these pavements perform for a long term and even have a very low maintenance cost, though the initial cost of these pavements is high. When life cycle cost is considered, the overall cost of these pavements is less than that of flexible pavements. In the present study, an attempt is made to evaluate the life cycle cost of Flexible and Rigid pavement for the case study of Widening of Ahmedabad – Bhavnagar short route section: Pipli - Dholera – Bavaliyary – Bhavnagar road km 93/800 to 168/800 (Pipli Junction to Nari Junction) to four lane from existing 10 meter wide road in the state of Gujarat. For this section, the life cycle cost of rigid pavement (523.92 Cr.) is less than that of flexible pavement (613.82 Cr.) when evaluated through Net Present Value (NPV) method.