In the field a designer faces a lot of problems when the effectiveness values of overlay alternatives have to be assessed; especially if the existing pavement is cracked or jointed. Since the effectiveness of alternatives such as applying modified bitumen, fibres, stress-relieving systems or reinforcing systems is site dependent, designers have to consider more than one alternative in their analysis and implement the optimum one. In the paper a design methodology is presented which focusses on the reflection of cracks from an old surface into and through an overlay. It is the result of a six-years project at Delft University of Technology encompassing field measurements, laboratory testing, theoretical development and numerical simulations. Within the methodology the evaluation phase is build-up in such a way that its results can be used directly for the design phase.