Durability　and　sustainability　are　the　main　objectives　of　the　pavement　preservation　technology.　An　cost-effective　strategy,　known　as　Preventive　Maintenance　Treatment　(PMT),　is　always　considered　as　an　useful　manner　leading　to　a　better　pavement　quality　at　lower　total　costs　by　applying　treatments　before　the　pavement　deteriorates　to　a　poor　condition　level　requiring　a　corrective　treatment.　For　the　asphalt　pavements　in　Beijing,　various　PMTs　were　conducted　during　recent　years　to　gradually　replace　the　previous　corrective　maintenance　strategy.　This　paper　presented　a　framework　for　characterizing　the　PMTs　performance　applied　at　different　pavement　age.　The　data　collected　from　the　local　transportation　agency　were　analyzed　to　characterize　the　performance　decay　trends　of　new　constructed　pavements　and　further　compare　the　enhancements　resulted　from　PMTs　conducted　at　different　timing　scenarios.　The　analysis　approach　presented　here　would　be　of　help　to　select　appropriate　PMT　to　meet　both　the　cost-effective　goal　and　preservation　purposes　in　future　pavement　management　practice.　©　2016　Taylor　&　Francis　Group,　London.