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This research project had the objective of identifying areas where changes could be made in the use of thin layers of asphalt so that improvements in performance could be obtained. The project was not designed to investigate quality issues, but was to concentrate on materials and selection. The project was initiated because the NZ Transport Agency had found that costs of resurfacing using asphalt had escalated and the lives being achieved appeared to be short.

This research in this report, which was undertaken between 2007 and 2012, investigated the following areas:

• analysis of currently achieved lives
• whole-of-life costs
• fatigue of thin surfacings
• shear strength
• durability of open graded porous asphalt (OGPA)
• acceptance schemes.

Keywords: age, failure, life, maintenance cost, pavements, pavement design, performance, risk, roughness, ruts, asphalt, hotmix