World highways pavement management system: an overview

Abstract

In all countries around the world, roads and highways constitute a vital and significant component of the transportation infrastructure and are crucial for the growth of local economies and societies. The term "Pavement Management System" (PMS) refers to a precise and systematized arrangement of defined procedures for collecting, analyzing, maintaining, and reporting pavement data that enables decision-makers to identify the most suitable arrangements and strategies for maintaining the pavements in the functional order for a given specific period at the least profitable cost. To maximize results within a certain budget, the system will next prioritize and suggest pavement rehabilitation and maintenance. The maintenance system in use tracks a variety of elements, including the cost of the activities required to conduct maintenance and the types of materials, personnel, and equipment. After segmenting the road into sections, this technique uses visual or automated field inspection, and its data is subsequently entered into a database. Following the analysis of this data, either by software or by a subject-matter expert, recommendations for the project will be given in the future. Next, based on the budget that is available, the type of surface, and the state of the road, the PMS develops a deterioration curve for each segment of the road. Finally, it chooses the best cost-effective maintenance approach. All of this is precisely accomplished using a PMS, which offers the right pavement treatment at the right time to extend the pavement's life for a reasonable amount longer and at a lower maintenance cost.