TRB Pubsindex
Text Size:
x

« Prev Next »

Return to Results | New Search

Bookmark and Share

Title:

Enhancement of Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Tool: RealCost California Customization

Accession Number:

01373426

Record Type:

Component

Abstract:

Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) for highway projects is an analytical technique that uses economic principles to evaluate long-term alternative investment options, especially for comparing the values of alternative pavement structures and strategies. Many different approaches and software have been adopted to undertake LCCA in many transportation agencies in the United States over last decade. In 2007 the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) adopted RealCost, the LCCA software developed by U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for statewide implementation with major enhancement and customization. This paper introduces the Caltrans LCCA procedure and describes the functions and improvements of the enhanced California version of RealCost software. The first enhancement is the traffic data module with four representative traffic patterns generated through the Caltrans traffic database system. The second improvement is adding the cost estimating modules for initial construction and subsequent maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R), based on the Caltrans historical contract bid database and their design procedure. The third feature is the M&R sequence automation with graphical user-friendly interfaces to integrate service life, maintenance frequency, and agency costs with given project constraints such as, climate region, final pavement surface, and design life. The main focus of the California LCCA enhancement is to improve the efficiency of LCCA procedures with automatic data selection and computerized calculations. This enhanced RealCost California version is being adopted as an official LCCA tool to comply with regulatory requirement for California state highway projects. Utilization of this California-customized LCCA software would contribute to achieve substantial economic benefits for highway projects.

Supplemental Notes:

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AFH10 Construction Management

Monograph Accession #:

01362476

Report/Paper Numbers:

12-3100

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Authors:

Kim, Changmo
Lee, Eul-Bum
Harvey, John

Pagination:

14p

Publication Date:

2012

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 91st Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2012-1-22 to 2012-1-26
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

Figures; References; Tables

Identifier Terms:

RealCost (Computer software)

Geographic Terms:

California

Subject Areas:

Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2012 Paper #12-3100

Files:

TRIS, TRB

Created Date:

Feb 8 2012 5:14PM