Asphalt Pavement Performance Monitoring for Asset Management

Pavement performance, a major component of Transportation Asset Management (TAM), is the focus point for surface characteristics, pavements, management, smoothness, and safety interaction. Asphalt pavement performance monitoring for new surfaces and during their life-cycle, and performanceprediction, is fundamental to pavement management systems, and as input to TAM systems. The use of performance monitoring information can range from new project warranty requirements, such as smoothness achieved, to long-term monitoring indices (index representative of roughness, rutting, distresses, friction, noise, and deflection) for asset evaluation. From a surface characteristics viewpoint, it is important that the monitoring equipment, quality of information, and its integration meet recognized standards - you cannot manage what you cannot measure. There must be flexibility to incorporate new surface characteristics, such as top-down cracking of long-life pavements, that involves considerable performance extrapolation. For cold climates, the winter surface condition and its monitoring, particularly for timely advisory information, adds another dimension. It is imperative that the asphalt pavement surface inventory, performance monitoring, and performance prediction information are technically sound and user-friendly. Practical examples of the composite index approach, from simple to complex for highways are contrasted with index approaches for airports, with focus on the asphalt pavement component of TAM. For the covering abstract of this conference, see ITRD number E215112. (A)