Climate change and extreme weather events increasingly threaten transportation infrastructure, necessitating resilient, sustainable, and cost-effective pavement solutions. This dissertation explores the feasibility of concrete overlays and rigid pavement systems as targeted strategies for enhancing pavement resilience and sustainability in vulnerable areas of the Southeastern United States, with a particular focus on North Carolina.The first study examined the construction industry’s capacity to support concrete overlay implementation. A survey of 19 Southeastern paving contractors revealed that 92% expressed moderate to high interest in completing overlays. However, the primary barrier identified was the lack of projects being let for bid. Additional concerns included traffic control, safety, and shortages of skilled labor. Notably, even contractors without prior overlay experience expressed a willingness to undertake such work. Expanding bid opportunities and increasing access to current construction guidelines may help overcome these barriers and broaden the adoption of overlays across the region.The second study included a life cycle cost analysis comparing full-depth asphalt, jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) of standard thickness, optimized JPCP, asphalt overlay rehabilitation, and unbonded concrete overlay (UBCO) rehabilitation strategies. Full-depth asphalt remained the most economical option when shoulder drains were required for rigid pavements. However, optimized JPCP became a cost-effective solution when shoulder drains were excluded—particularly in wider (13-foot) lane scenarios due to material savings. While UBCO proved competitive in some cases, its broader use was limited by cost variability. These findings suggest that current pavement policies requiring shoulder drains for rigid pavements should be reexamined, and that a more balanced, project-specific life cycle cost analysis framework is needed to foster fair competition between pavement alternatives. Additional competition amongst pavement alternatives has been shown to reduce bid pricing, providing benefits to the state. Given the demonstrated resilience of concrete pavements in flood-prone areas, incorporating resilience considerations into the agency’s LCCA process would support more robust infrastructure planning and enhance the long-term sustainability and resilience of transportation networks.The third study included a life cycle assessment evaluating the environmental impacts of full-depth asphalt, JPCP, UBCO, and asphalt overlay alternatives. Optimized JPCP consistently achieved lower global warming potential (GWP) per lane mile, with reductions of up to 18.96% compared to full-depth asphalt. UBCO pavement sections also exhibited lower GWP than asphalt overlays, with GWP reductions ranging from 3.75% to 52.42% per lane mile per year of extended life. These results demonstrate that rigid pavement alternatives can offer significant environmental benefits, particularly when designed for optimized performance and longevity.The fourth study developed a methodology for predicting flood vulnerable of roadway segments using geospatial datasets that are common to highway agencies. The methodology was applied using geospatial datasets for North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Division 6 in Southeastern North Carolina. The developed methodology provides a systematic approach for identifying and quantifying flood prone roadway segments that can be used to support data driven decisions for infrastructure planning. Collectively, these studies highlight the importance of integrating contractor readiness, economic efficiency, and environmental sustainability into pavement decision-making. Incorporating life cycle thinking into agency practices will help ensure that infrastructure investments are resilient, cost-effective, and aligned with long-term sustainability and climate adaptation goals.
