Case Studies in Construction Materials 8 (2018) 323–332

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Case Studies in Construction Materials

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Case study

Using PAVER 6.5.7 and GIS program for pavement maintenance

T
management for selected roads in Kerbala city
⁎
Raid R.A. Almuhannaa, , Hussein Ali Ewadhb, Saja J.M. Alasadia
a
University of Kerbala, Kerbala, Iraq
b
Babylon University, Hilla, Iraq

AR TI CLE I NF O AB S T R A CT

Keywords: Pavement Maintenance Management System (PMMS) includes systematic actions to get effective
Pavement maintenance management system management and economic maintenance cost, depending on pavement condition index (PCI).
Pavement condition index (PCI) PAVER 6.5.7 software are used to compute PCI values for a selected zone of road network in
PAVER 6.5.7 system Kerbala City Center (KCC). Visual inspection survey is conducted to investigate the type, severity
GIS
level, and extent of failure at sections and sample unites of selected roads. The area under study
Distress type
had 56.8 km length and contain functionally all types of urban roads. The data collection is
achieved for a total of 109 road sections in; 20 Major arterials, 28 Minor arterials, 14 Collectors,
and 47 Local sections. Further, the collected data for each section are inventoried and evaluated
using PAVER 6.5.7. Also, analysis and prediction of the PCI curve for different sections are de-
termined for different design lives. PAVER 6.5.7 is linked with GIS to layout the results and show
the priority for maintenance and rehabilitation for the whole network are established using the
critical PCI value.
The resulted PCI indicated that 63% of the network sections of the study area have good
condition, 12% have fair condition and 25% have poor condition.

1. Introduction

Highway maintenance consists of those activities which preserve the network of roads and footpaths, retaining or enhancing the
performance of each part by comparison with identified minimum service standards and ensuring that they provide a positive
contribution to the environmental and transport needs of the area. Factors affecting on the need for maintenance include: increases in
road mileage, the growing number, weight of commercial vehicles, demands for higher standards of maintenance and performance.
also, the impact of public welfare works and the variability of weather conditions including climate change. Pavement management
includes systematic actions that help getting effective management, which combines between the established engineering principles
and economic theory [1]. Pavement maintenance management systems (PMMS) is a part of pavement management system (PMS), as
shown in Fig. 1 Pavement management provides a rational and cost effective approach to pavement maintenance operations [2]. The
PMMS process involves the following steps for a given pavement section: (1) assess present pavement condition, (2) predict future
conditions, (3) conduct an alternatives analysis, and (4) select an appropriate rehabilitation strategy [3].
PMMS typically employs a pavement rating system known as pavement condition index (PCI) as the basis for evaluation of current
and future pavement conditions. Fig. 2 shows The family curve represents the pavement’s anticipated performance over time. This
curve can then be used to predict future performance. According to the predicted future pavement condition, multiple budget and

⁎
Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: raidr@uokerbala.edu.iq (R.R.A. Almuhanna), eng.hussein.ewadh@uobabylon.edu.iq (H.A. Ewadh), alasadi.saja@yahoo.com (S.J.M. Alasadi).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2018.01.005
Received 12 June 2017; Received in revised form 16 December 2017; Accepted 16 January 2018
2214-5095/ © 2018 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY-NC-ND/4.0/).
R.R.A. Almuhanna et al. Case Studies in Construction Materials 8 (2018) 323–332

Fig. 1. Pavement Maintenance Management System (PMMS) and Pavement Management System (PMS) [4].

Fig. 2. Typical performance curve [6].

maintenance strategies can be run to determine the most cost effective maintenance treatment for the pavement [5]

2. Flexible pavement distress

There are two different types of failures. Classified as follows:

• structural distress: the structural distress includes a collapse or breakdown of the pavement structure components to one or more
layer, and become not able to carry the load upon its surface.
• functional distress: the functional distress may (or may not) be accompanied by structural distress. This distress caused discomfort
for vehicle drivers in the driving task [7].

The high percent of roads in Kerbala City were constructed using asphalt pavement. Hence, in this paper, it is intended to deal
with types of distress in flexible pavement. An important component to define the status of a pavement is pavement distress. Based on
the pavement distress, the occasion preservation treatments are selected. Historically, the process of evaluating surface distresses is
identified in term of condition survey [8]. Pavement distress is caused by various factors or a combination of factors including lack of
structural capacity, inadequate design, inferior material quality [9], poor construction techniques and/or lack of preventive main-
tenance [10]. The five major categories of common asphalt pavement surface distresses are [11]:

A Cracking (alligator cracking (fatigue cracking), longitudinal and transverse cracking, block cracking, slippage cracking, joint
reflective cracking, and edge cracking).

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Table 1
PAVER 6.5.7 Classification distress for asphalt roads and parking lots [6,7].

Code Distress Measure Unit Defined Severity Levels? Type of Distress Cause

2
1 Alligator Cracking M Yes Structural Load
2 Bleeding M2 Yes Functional Other
3 Block Cracking M2 Yes Structural Climate
4 Bumps And Sags M2 Yes Structural & Functional Other
5 Corrugation M2 Yes Functional Other
6 Depression M2 Yes Functional Other
7 Edge Cracking M2 Yes Functional Load
8 Joint Reflection M2 Yes Structural Climate
9 Lane/Shoulder Drop-Off M2 Yes Functional Other
10 Longitudinal And Transverse Cracking M2 Yes Structural Climate
11 Patching And Utility Cut Patching M2 Yes Structural & Functional Other
12 Polished Aggregate M2 No Functional Other
13 Potholes Number Yes Structural & Functional Load
14 Railroad Crossings M2 Yes Functional Other
15 Rutting M2 Yes Functional Load
16 Shoving M2 Yes Functional Load
17 Slippage Cracking M2 Yes Structural Other
18 Swell M2 Yes Structural & Functional Other
19 Weathering And Raveling M2 Yes Functional Climate

B Surface Deformation (rutting, corrugations, shoving, depressions, swell, bumps and sags).
C Disintegration (potholes, patching and utility cut patching).
D Surface efects (weathering and raveling, bleeding, polishing).
E Others (lane/shoulder drop off, railroad crossing). Table 1 shows distress of flexible pavement roads and parking.

3. PAVER 6.5.7 software

PAVER 6.5.7 software has been utilized to determine current PCI and to predict future pavement condition, used to select
maintenance and rehabilitation needs at the optimal time and priorities. PAVER 6.5.7 provides many important capabilities in-
cluding: pavement network inventory, Pavement condition rating, Development of PCI models (Family Curves), determination of
current and future pavement condition (Condition Analysis), determination of (M&R) needs and analyzing the consequence of dif-
ferent budget scenarios (Work Planning), project formulation [12].
Output of PAVER software includes PCI values and quantity of distress of all sample sections surveyed, as well as PCI of the all
roads network [6].

3.1. Database development

A roadway system to be manageable, it needs to be broken down into branches that may be taken as city streets. Because a street
does not always have consistent characteristics and does not require the same maintenance and rehabilitation treatment at the same
time throughout its entire length, therefore, it is divided into smaller manageable segments (sections). This will also help efficiently in
data collection and making analysis. Segments are defined so that the pavement within their boundaries is consistent in terms of
physical and functional characteristics. each section divided to sample units, a sample unit is defined as an area 2500 ± 1000 sqf for
asphalt surfaced roads (including asphalt over concrete) [6].
[13], made the following factors which could define the boundary between two sections: (1) a change in the number of traffic
lanes,(2)a change in pavement type, (3)an abrupt change in traffic patterns or volume, (4) change in drainage characteristics (such as
curb and gutter to ditch segment), (5) change in pavement structure (thickness, material, etc.), (6) change in natural subgrade
characteristics, and (7) Previous construction projects (different projects reflect different designs, materials, ages, and other factors).
In addition, geographic or manmade boundaries may offer or force segment boundaries, such as: (1) Roadway intersections, (2)
Rivers or streams, (3) Bridges, (4) City or township limits, (5) County lines, (6) Railroad crossings, (7) Current condition based on the
last PCI.
To attain the objectives of this study, database sections is prepared related to 20 major arterials, 28 minor arterials, 12 collectors,
49 locals of Kerbala city center were developed. The collected data included the following information:

a Pavement Condition Data for each road section including: distress (type, severity, and density), and other information about it
such: section (type, location, and extension) [14].
b Other information of section including: Roadway Geometry (arterial, collector or local), (divided or non-divided), name, length
(m), width (m), and (one or two-way).

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Fig. 3. Type and severity of pavement distresses in study area.

3.2. Data collection tools

Data collection tools can simplify the inspection task. Coordinates of each unit (start and end locates) of a spitted started are
picked for GIS. GPS units are used to pinpoint locations of each unit. But paper and pencil still works. The steps of inspection used to
find PCI are as follows:

1. Surface distresses boundary in the units were measured as area, length or width and evaluated based on type, frequency and
severity. Using ASTM D6433, the type and severity of distresses were determined with the help of the Pavement Distresses
Identification Manual (PDIM) developed by the US Corps of Engineers [15,16].
2. Using GPS to pinpoint the location of distresses in each unit.
3. A digital photograph of each section of roadway provides a permanent record of the pavement condition. Fig. 3 shows samples of
pavement distresses with different severity surveyed through this work. Fig. 4 shows the same type and severity of distress as
identified by the PDIM.

3.3. Pavement condition rating in PAVER 6.5.7

PCI is an index which shows the present condition of pavement according to simultaneous evaluation of distress type, density and
severity The standard PCI uses a scale of 7 different categories (good, satisfactory…etc. to fail); a specific version of PCI scale uses
only 3 categories (good, fair, poor) with different colors assigned by Micro PAVER 6.5.7 to illustrate different situations within the
scales as shown in Fig. 5 [6].

3.4. Calculation of the PCI

The PAVER 6.5.7 method relies on PCI to evaluate a pavement. Its computation is based on evaluation of pavement surface
condition by determining distress type, extent and severity. The fact that the PAVER 6.5.7 evaluation method depends on nineteen
distress ranks it the most detailed pavement management system. Evaluation process begins with field survey for each units of
sections in the study area[17]. Table 2 shows that the PCI values were estimated for a sample section (1-A) in the study area by using

Fig. 4. Type and severity of pavement distresses according to PDIM.

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Fig. 5. PCI ranges [12].

Table 2
The PCI values estimation for sample section (1-A).

Unit Distress severity Quantity density% Deduct value mi Q TDV CDV PCI

2 Edge M 6 2.597 8 9.44 2 13.0 8.7 91

Depression L 2 0.865 5
4 Pothole L 4 1.731 32 3.98 2 47.4 34.3 66
Edge M 30 13 15.4
6 Edge H 25 10.822 25.5 7.77 1 25.5 25.5 75
8 Edge M 33 14.285 17.4 8.54 1 17.4 17.3 83
10 Edge H 32 13.852 29 7.41 1 29 28.5 72
12 –– –– –– –– –– – –– –– 100
14 Depression H 1.5 6.49 15.2 7.0 1 32.5 15.2 85
16 Depression H 1.5 6.49 15.2 7.0 1 32.5 15.2 85
18 –– –– –– –– –– – – – 100
20 –– –– –– –– –– – – – 100
Avg. PCI of section 85.7

hand calculations and average PCI of units in this sample section. The quantity of distress for each type were measured in square feet
(square meters), linear feet (meters), or number of occurrences.

4. PAVER 6.5.7 inventory, results analysis, and PCI output reports

inventory The data collected of pavement distress recognize on network, branch, and section as shown in Plate 1A and B for a

Plate 1. (A) Defining pavement inventory for branches. (B) Defining pavement inventory for sections.

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Plate 2. Entering inspection data in PAVER 6.5.7.

sample section (1-A). A pavement section is the smallest management unit to consider a major maintenance and rehabilitation
project.
PAVER 6.5.7 can be inspected component via PCI in the button bar, Using the following steps:(1) enter data inspected by Click on
choose (edit inspection), and enter the information of survey after click on choose (edit sample unit) as shown in Plate 2. (2) Entering
distress collected data (Type, Severity, or Quantity). (3) calculation PCI as shown in Plate 3.
EMS user-define tools of PAVER 6.5.7 are reports the values of pavement condition index (PCI) which contained section in-
formation during the last inspection, the percentages of distress Cause and conditions for all sections shown in Plate 4.
PAVER 6.5.7 reports include summary charts as shown in Plate 5A and B. The chart reports contain the selected pavement
statistics such as pavement area, number of sections, average section PCI and area weighted PCI grouped by pavement age as shown
in Table 3.
where section rank A: major arterial, B: minor arterial, C: collector, E: local.

5. PAVER 6.5.7 and GIS integration

PAVER 6.5.7 has the capability of interaction with ArcGIS for displaying the results. After Computing PCI through the PAVER
6.5.7 system, PAVER 6.5.7 output data is transferred to ArcGIS as a shape file. After that the shape file layer will be linked to PAVER
6.5.7 shape file output layer, as shown in Plate 6.

Plate 3. A sample section PCI computation in PAVER 6.5.7.

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Plate 4. EMS User-Define Reports Tools of PAVER 6.5.7.

Plate 5. (A) Section vs Pavement Condition During the last inspection. (B) Section vs Section Rank.

Table 3
Summary Information of PAVER 6.5.7 Layout Analysis.

Condition Category Sections Avg. Condition Pavement Area Unit

Number Percent%

Failed 0 0
Serious 2 2 14 1777.00 SqM
Very Poor 7 6.5 33.14 12,287.30 SqM
Poor 20 18 48.05 56,651.46 SqM
Fair 13 12 65.15 56,701.95 SqM
Satisfactory 29 26.5 79.17 132,272.66 SqM
Good 38 35 93.53 124,344.80 SqM

6. Priority of maintenance

PAVER 6.5.7 allows the pavement manager to maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) sections roads from the set of critical PCI
value, and to determine work priorities. The development of a priority allows the user to define priorities according to facility use,
critical PCI value or pavement type which is used by the (M&R) module. The priority typical scale of PCI that can be used to manage
M&R operations is shows in Fig. 6. Regarding maintenance action for KCC roads network sections, 63% need preventive maintenance
(crack sealing and patching), 30% require rehabilitation (overlay . etc.) and 7% needs reconstruction. The priority of M&R for
sections of study due to PCI scale is shows in Plate 7.

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Plate 6. PCI of PAVER 6.5.7 at last inspection.

Fig. 6. PCI level vs. M&R type [18].

7. Network condition analysis and prediction

The Micro PAVER 6.5.7 frequency report introduces the expected condition for each sections road. The condition analysis views
the current condition performance for each sections road in the network; further analysis and prediction the pavement condition
index of sections through limited period. A typical performance curve is illustrated for the latter case in Fig. 7 with the curve fitting
for 15-years analysis and 15-years prediction periods for all network sections.

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Plate 7. Priority of M&R for sections within study area.

Fig. 7. The curve and curve fitting for 15- years analysis and 15-years prediction period for network sections.

8. Conclusions

• Pavement Condition evaluation by PAVER 6.5.7 showed that the current status for the selected zone of roads network in KCC in
general have satisfactory condition.
• Integrating PAVER 6.5.7 with GIS helps Identifying sections with the specific PCI. This will give easiness to assign the location of
best and worst sections.
• The majority of local sections have low values of PCI and the arterial sections have the best condition. This inducts the main-
tenance activities uniformly for the network.
• Systematically, the current maintenance works are not properly managed.
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• The lack of maintenance in the past decades for many sections created severely distressed pavement requiring comprehensive
rehabilitation programs.
• Priority of maintenance can be estimated according to the layout of integrity PAVER & GIS to help decision makers and assure
efficient maintenance management.
• Pavement condition decreases with age of pavement for all stranded sections in a trend agree with other studies.
Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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