Measurements and criteria : essential elements for pavement management

A systematic approach has been developed for planning the long-term maintenance of flexible pavements. This hasresulted in a multi-year planning system which not only provides information about the type of maintenance required, but also details the cost and timing involved. Visual inspections are carried out to characterize the condition of the roads, coupled with rut depth and longitudinal evenness measurements. By comparing the results of such tests with predefined guidelines, maintenance activities can be planned in a systematic way. The choice of representative parameters to characterize the quality of the road network is outlined in this paper as is the philisophy regarding maintenance guidelines. Furthermore, the measuring and inspection techniques employed are reviewed and the effects of possible errors discussed. Finally, recommendations are given as to how the system can be improved. The introduction of automated visual inspection tecniques is seen as having the highest priority.