ABSTRACT
This study examines the characteristics and relative advantages of asphalt and concrete pavements respectively; and carried out the design, costing and life cycle analysis of a case study road in Nigeria with heavy traffic and poor subgrade conditions. The results indicate that, initial cost is less for the concrete pavement by 12% when compared with the asphalt alternative, while the Net Present Value analysis further yielded an advantage of 36% for the concrete pavement. The environmental impact of the two pavement types was also compared using data proposed by others and arrived at an impact value of 374425 and 84962 for asphalt and concrete pavements respectively – a further advantage for concrete pavements. The paper therefore recommends that roads, on the national and international transit corridor, being of heavy traffic, should be reconstructed as the need arises, as concrete pavements.
