OPTIMISATION OF HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE USING THE HIGHWAY DESIGN MODEL

Funds allocated for maintenance and overlaying of road pavements are becoming an increasingly important component of highway authority budgets. This paper describes an investigation into the effect of the maintenance/overlay policy on the cost to the highway authority and the cost to the road user over a specified analysis period. Two-lane rural roads with a range of pavement structures, pavement conditions and traffic volumes are considered. The highway design model is used to estimate both authority and user costs under a range of maintenance/overlay policies. Policies which minimise cost of operation (authority cost plus user cost) are determined, together with the sensitivity of cost of operation to maintenance/overlay policy. A method for incorporating future uncertainties (traffic growth, monetary inflation and available funds) is included. (Author/TRRL)