Impacts of future climate change on flexible road pavement economics: A life cycle costs analysis of 24 case studies across the United States

Highway agencies are facing pressure for repairing and replacing underfunded aged road pavement networks that were initially designed historical climatic conditions. Road pavements must be updated while accounting the impacts of climate change, which likely to exacerbated in years come, with limited budgets. Methodologies frameworks help incorporate long-term effects change on performance make informed decisions how spend their funds therefore utmost importance. This paper presents a methodological framework combines downscaled projections, predictions using AASHTOWare Pavement ME DesignTM tool, maintenance rehabilitation strategies, life cycle costs analysis (LCCA) comprehensive system. The proposed was adopted LCCA 24 case studies across contiguous United States under four alternative periods corresponding simulated projections 20-year (1981-2000, 2001-2020, 2041-2060, 2081-2100) higher Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP8.5). study results show per degree Celsius will lead approximately $650-700 million/year additional agency U.S. In addition, have greater incurred during end-of-life phases.