IT-AI Based Road Performance Evaluation

Objective
To leverage AI based applications for evidence based performance ,
maintenance assessment , condition survey of roads. World bank DLIs
compliances as well as DLIs for Govt funded roads .

System Design Criteria

 Quickly implementable with minimal resources, leverage existing knowledge
and Technology.
 Shall be Cost Effective with minimum requirement of special equipments.
 Mobile technology shall be used coupled with AI and Machine Learning
Desired Outcomes

A cost effective easy to implement solution with verifiable , reproducible

results , automating the process of road condition survey , quality control
and evaluation of performance based maintenance/ Construction with least
human intervention and high degree of objectivity , replicability and
verification.
 Present Status vs Technology Solution

• Traditional system of acceptance of completed

works…..expected to evaluate road construction with
technology based evaluation on performance and quality
parameters.
• Presently GIS based photos and videos are uploaded,
……Expected AI based solution to interpret these photos
with definite outcome results.
• ….After construction , performance evaluation, road
condition during defect liability period based on AI based
technology solution to handle large amount of data.
• …..Performance Based maintenance , objective assessment
with set parameters to ensure ride comfort and quality.
• …….Assessment of deterioration in road surface over a
period of time, evaluation of PBMC.
• …….Evidence based , objective Condition survey for
Maintenance , repair and re-development.
 Monitoring of Quality and Maintenance Requirement

To optimize the funds available,

 It is essential to have access to a proper

inventory of the road network and up to date
road condition information,

 Funds allocation can be optimized to

achieve better overall network performance.
 Available Technology
There are two basic methods available for conducting
roadway condition survey.

i. Manual survey
(a)Walking Survey
(b)Windshield Survey
(c)Walking + Windshield Survey

ii. Automated Pavement Condition Survey

One of the most important parts of an automated pavement
condition survey is the data collection process.

This process is completed by technology, by two methods.

a) Specialist Vehicles fitted with numerous sensors
b) Use of AI based Mobile Technology and capturing data with
specific applications through Mobile.
 Specialist Vehicles fitted with numerous sensors
There are numerous types of automated pavement condition survey vehicles available and
some utilize different kinds of data collection technology; however, generally they are similar in
the fact that they are all trying to achieve the same final result, accurate pavement condition
data.

Automated Pavement Condition Survey vehicle

 Indigenous System

• Leica “Pegasus Two”

Mobile LiDAR /
Network Survey
Vehicle
• (NSV) for Road Asset
Management System
(RAMS) &
• Pavement analysis for
Highway
Infrastructure projects
in India.
Comprehensive Mobile Based Solution
Comprehensive Mobile Based Solution
The type of data collected by automated pavement condition survey
vehicles/ or Mobile Applications and the technology used to collect it ,
as given below.
1. Surface distress
Data collected automatically using downward facing
cameras aimed at the pavement surface. Either
analog-based area-scan cameras, digital area-scan
cameras, or digital line-scan cameras are used to
capture a continuous image of the pavement
surface as the data collection vehicle travels down
the road. The images are then analyzed to
determine the type, extent, and severity of any
surface distress that is present.
Surface distress
2.Rutting
Rutting data are collected automatically by the
pavement condition survey vehicle in real time. Some
rutbar system software can produce graphic displays,
plots, water ponding depths, reports, and calculations
as to what quantity of asphalt would need to be
milled to level the ruts
 The type of data collected by automated pavement condition survey
vehicles/ or Mobile Applications and the technology used to collect it ,
as given below.
3.Ride
How rough a road feels to the passenger when riding down the road is commonly referred to as “ride”.
There are several indices used to describe ride; however, the index used presently by nearly every state
is International Roughness Index (IRI). IRI is a statistic used to estimate the amount of roughness in a
measured longitudinal profile (AASHTO, 1999).
4.Texture
Texture data are an important measure of drainage and skid resistance for a pavement surface
(Roadware, 2004). Texture data can be collected using a vehicle mounted module that uses
high frequency lasers to measure the mean profile depth of the road surface macrotexture.

5.Position Orientation
Many pavement condition survey vehicles have a position orientation system. A position
orientation system collects curve radius, grade, and elevation data automatically (Roadware,
2004).

6.Falling Weight Deflect meter

The Falling Weight Deflect meter is an impulse deflection device that lifts a weight to a
given height on a guide system and then drops it.
The type of data collected by automated pavement
condition survey vehicles/ or Mobile Applications and the
technology used to collect it , as given below.

Walking Profiler G2:

The Walking Profiler (WP) G2 is a precise
measurement instrument for collecting and
presenting continuous paved surface
information. The WP G2 meets World Bank Class
1 Profilometry requirements and produces
outputs including profile, grade, distance and
International Roughness Index (IRI). The WP G2
samples the pavement surface at a walking
pace. As the built-in data acquisition module
collects and stores the data, the results are The Walking Profiler
displayed in real time for simple and quick data
analysis.
 Use of Mobile – the algorithm and sensors Fundamentals

The most common approach for detecting road condition is using sensors to recognize
the vibration patterns of the vehicle caused due to any deformity or obstacle on the
road and collecting road roughness data to detect road anomalies. Most of the
methods use tri-axial accelerometer and GPS to collect the data for analysis. Some of
these methods have also used machine learning algorithms to include self-calibration
functionality in the system.
Methods using Smartphone sensors
Nericell [4] uses mobile Smartphone to monitor road and traffic conditions. It detects
potholes, braking, bumps and honks using accelerometer, microphone, GSM radio and
GPS sensors present in smart phones. This system uses an algorithm based upon Euler
angles for reorientation. It detects bump based upon the z-value of accelerometer. It
provides two heuristics based upon the speed of the vehicle. If speed is greater than
25kmph, it uses z-peak heuristic where a spike along z-value above a specific threshold
is classified as a bump.
Mednis et al., [5] proposed a system which uses Android OS based Smart-phones having
accelerometer sensor for detection of potholes in real time. This system detects events
in real time and also collects the data for off-line post-processing. The data is collected
using 3-axis accelerometer sensor present in Smart-phones. They have proposed four
algorithms for detection of potholes. The first two algorithms (ZTHRESH and Z-DIFF) are
for real time detection and the other two (STDEV(Z) and G-ZERO) are used for off-line
post-processing of data.
AI empowered Mobile Based Performance Evaluation

The mobile based solution has two components

Mobile is mounted on a vehicle duly calibrated.
i) Performance and maintenance evaluation of roads ,
by measuring IRI with mobile based technology
ii) In addition taking continuous videos and photos to
evaluate road condition, traffic condition , road
inventory etc geo-tagged and objective assessment
with photo and video record.
The data collected in the process to be used for
performance based maintenance Contract, road
condition over a period of time , road condition survey
and maintenance assessment and cost.
 Assessment of IRI , performance parameter
Road roughness is the most commonly used condition parameter in evaluating pavement
conditions objectively because road roughness data is relatively easy to obtain, well correlated
with vehicle operating costs and the most relevant parameter in road functional performance
measurement.

The Roadroid is an Android-based application that measures road roughness by using vibration
sensors on a smartphone so it is possible to get an International Roughness Index (IRI) value as an
indicator of pavement conditions more easily and efficiently.
Pavement condition evaluation should be done regularly to determine existing pavement
performance and predict future pavement performance, whether the pavement has fulfilled its
three basic functions, which provide efficient service, safety and has a structural capacity to support
the traffic load and resistant to environmental impacts
Methods to measure IRI
Measuring road roughness by using vibration sensors on a smartphone such as Roadroid basically
includes the type of RTRRMS. Roadroid is an Android-based smart phone application developed by
the Swedish National Road Administration can be an alternative to obtaining road roughness data
that becomes an indicator of road conditions to grade 2 and grade 3 with easier and less costly .

The Criteria of Pavement Conditions based on IRI

IRI Value Pavement Conditions
IRI < 4 Good
4 ≤ IRI ≤ 8 Fair
8 ≤ IRI ≤ 12 Bad
IRI > 12 Poor

Generally, road roughness measuring method are divided into four classes. IE, direct measurement, indirect measurement, IRI
estimation based on correlation equations such as response type road roughness measuring system (RTRRMS) and subjective
judgments based on the opinion of the assessment group .
 Road Condition by Mobile Vs Visual
Therefore, although the smartphone app based roughness measurement methods lack the high accuracy
and precision of the advanced measurement methods it will give an objective basis for the road agencies
when making decisions with respect to maintenance planning.
Road Condition by Mobile Vs Visual
 IRIs and acceptance creteria
 As evident from Table 3 eIRI values obtained from the analysis
provides a reasonable assessment of the pavement condition,
which can provide useful inputs for pavement maintenance decision
making.
 A similar format can be adopted to presenting the information
related to the condition of the roads in the network. Engineers can
screen the roads that fall below the acceptable IRI levels and then
refer to this to identify specific problems related to them, before
making detailed assessment at site.
 The minimum acceptable IRI values varies and is influenced by the
type of maintenance treatment planned for the road, road type and
budgetary or resource constraints. And can be relaxed for low
volume roads with lower operating speeds.
 Typically a pavement with IRI exceeding 6 is considered to be
in moderate/poor condition and at a stage maintenance should be
planned. Once these are established by the agency, they first select
the roads that violate the threshold and then prioritize the roads for
maintenance works for those roads based on the condition and the
maintenance treatment planned.
 Make visual road inventory’s from smartphone data

The Road Inventory App for android

smartphones registers ocular inputs in 5
classification levels from a library of inventory
parameters. Data is collected from windshield
while travelling and saved every second with GPS-
data. The library contains over 100 parameters
ranging from different conditions for paved and
unpaved roads but also road side features (as
drainages and guard rails).

Inventories from both the app and video is

imported to the same web system.

Road Event Manager, To register condition of

static road furniture’s (as culverts, road lights etc)
and damages as potholes, washouts etc.
 Make visual road inventory’s from smart phone data
Benefits of the road inventory app :
- Saves time and increase safety! Don’t stop, locate and
note – make registrations on the fly.
- Saves more time at office! Upload data and it´s at your
desktop. No hand notes interpretation.
- Detailed - the app saves condition and location every
second (every 10 meter in 36 km/h).
- Powerful and immediate visualization on maps - view
collected layers in the web tool.
- Export as .txt files in 20-200 meter segments for direct
import to assets management systems.

The Road inventory app is easy to use and portable - bring

anywhere and run on battery.
Benefits of road inventory from photos/video:
- Photos or video with GPS data can be captured with the
Roadroid apps for roughness IRI.
- So you get both objective road condition IRI – and records
for road inventory’s.
- No need to travel to site to view or rate the conditions; it
can be done from an office anywhere.
Make visual road inventory’s from smart phone data
Make visual road inventory’s from smart phone data
Make visual road inventory’s from smart phone data
Make visual road inventory’s from smart phone data
Thanking
You