A methodology for estimating and comparing the lifecycles of high-build and conventional waterborne pavement markings on primary and secondary roads in South Carolina

Highway pavement markings constitute a vital component of roadway transportation systems and provide crucial visual cues for the basic driver task of following the road. In 2008, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) initiated a multi-year study to evaluate pavement markings on non-interstate primary and secondary roads in South Carolina. This thesis discusses development of a methodology for estimating and comparing the lifecycles of high-build and conventional waterborne pavement markings based on retroreflectivity levels. The methodology was developed using nearly 3 years of field data from 66 sites throughout South Carolina. This thesis provides an overview of data collection and analysis methods employed in model development. Previous related work is highlighted, and obtained results and deduced conclusions are presented. The analysis indicates that high-build markings are predicted to considerably outlast waterborne markings and are also more cost-effective, based on cost per linear foot per year, for two-way ADT volume levels up to 1,600 vehicles per day.