PURPOSES: Case studies of an asphalt-overlay project with a performance-based contract method were conducted on a national highway in Korea to evaluate the effect of the method on asphalt pavement maintenance. This study evaluated the procedure of the performance-based contract method. METHODS: In this study, an asphalt-pavement maintenance project for a national highway was assessed with a performance-based contract to investigate the advantage of the new contract procedures. This is the first trial applying the performance-based contract to a pavementrehabilitation project in Korea. In the four case studies, the warranty period of the performance-based contract was designed for seven years. The research team monitored the construction site to compare the normal contract method with the performance-based contract method. The case studies’project sites were investigated after the end of the construction. RESULTS : Based on the limited case studies, the performance-based contract method could extend the service life of the asphalt pavement and reduce the pavement-maintenance budget because the quality control was well managed by the contractors. However, a few construction laws would be necessary to apply the performance-based contract method in the future. CONCLUSIONS : Using the performance-based contract, the construction company made great efforts to guarantee the warranty period and to apply the optimal maintenance method, based on the pavement distress condition. The contractor and the agency would need to understand the new performance-based contract system for it to be activated. Therefore, a proper education program for the performancebased contract system would be needed to educate the stakeholders regarding the procedures and their effects on the pavement management and maintenance.