CHAPTER 5

PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE
Pavement Management System
Pavement Management System
A Pavement Management System (PMS) is a set of tools or
methods that can assist decision makers in finding cost effective
strategies for providing, evaluating, and maintaining pavements in
a serviceable condition.

Pavement Management System consists of two basic components: 

(1) A comprehensive database, which contains current and historical

information on pavement condition, pavement structure, and traffic.

(2) A set of tools that allows us to determine existing and future

pavement conditions, predict financial needs, and identify and
prioritize pavement preservation projects.
A PMS encompasses a wide spectrum of activities: 
• Planning
• Programming of investments
• Design
• Construction
• Maintenance
• Periodic evaluation of performance

The function of management at all levels involves:

• Comparing alternatives
• Coordinating activities
• Making decisions
• Implementing decisions efficiently and economically
The basic purposes of PMS are: 

• To achieve the best value possible for the available

public funds.

• To provide safe, comfortable and economical

transportation.

PMS involves two main levels:

(1) NETWORK LEVEL

(2) PROJECT LEVEL

NETWORK LEVEL PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT

Administrative decisions affect programs for the entire roadway

system.

This management system considers the needs of the network as a

whole and provides information for a statewide program of new
construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation.

The goal is to optimize the use of funds over the entire system.

Managers at this level compare the benefits and costs for several
alternative programs and then identify the program and budget that
will have the greatest benefit/cost ratio.
PROJECT LEVEL PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT

Technical decisions are made for specific projects.

At this level detailed consideration is given to alternative design,

construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation activities for specific
projects.

This is accomplished by comparing benefit/cost ratios of several

design alternatives and picking the design alternative that provides
the desired benefits for the least total cost over the projected life of
the project.
 PAVEMENT EVALUATION PROCESS

Pavement management comprises the following processes:

1) Asset inventory and condition assessment, or network information

2) Screening or identification of candidate sections

3) Treatment identification and selection

4) Quantity and cost estimation

5) Analysis of past trends and prediction of future trends

6) Reporting of current and future conditions, work programme.

PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE
Pavement Evaluation
Pavement Evaluation can be divided into two categories:

(1) Functional Evaluation

~ used to provide information about surface
characteristics that involves road user’s safety, comfort
and serviceability.

(2) Structural Evaluation

~ focuses on the ability of the pavement structure to
withstand traffic loading and environmental effects.
 Evaluation Type Pavement Function Pavement Examples of
Characteristic Indices and
Indicators
FUNCTIONAL Serviceability Roughness IRI (International
EVALUATION Roughness Index)
PSI (Present
Serviceability Index)
QI (Quality Index)
Safety Texture Microtexture
Macrotexture
Skid Resistance Skid Resistance
Coefficient
IFI (International
Friction Index)
STRUCTURAL Structural Capacity Mechanical Deflections
EVALUATION Properties
Pavement Distress Cracks, Defects
Profile Deformations
 PAVEMENT DISTRESS

Bad fatigue cracking

Fatigue cracking from frost actio

Fatigue cracking from edge failure

Block Cracking

Shoving
Depression

Patching
HMA bleeding from over-asphalting

bleeding in wheel path

Pothole from fatigue cracking

From segregation

Ravelling due to low density

Rutting from mix instability

Pavement Structural Evaluation Methods

Destructive Testing, which involves sampling and

testing in situ and at the laboratory, includes the following
methods:
• Coring
• Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP)
DCP is an instrument designed to measure
of the in situ strength of subgrade, base,
subbase and weakly cemented materials.
Pavement Structural Evaluation Methods

Non-destructive testing (NDT) is one of the most

reliable methods for structural evaluation.
Two of the most common NDT equipment are:

(1) Benkelman Beam

(2) Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD)
BENKELMAN BEAM

The Benkelman Beam is a simple device that operates

on the lever arm principle. 
The Benkelman Beam is used with a loaded truck,
typically 80 kN (18,000 lb) on a single axle with dual tires
inflated to 480 to 550 kPa (70 to 80 psi). 
Measurement is made by placing the tip of the beam
between the dual tires and measuring the pavement
surface rebound as the truck is moved away.
BENKELMAN BEAM

The Benkelman Beam is low cost, but is also slow, labor

intensive and does not provide a deflection basin.
FALLING WEIGHT DEFLECTOMETER

The FWD is a trailer-mounted system where the

operation control computer is usually located in the tow
vehicle.
To perform a test, the vehicle is stopped and the loading
plate (weight) is positioned over the desired location. 
The sensors are then lowered to the pavement surface
and the weight is dropped. 
Multiple tests can be performed on the same location
using different weight drop heights. 
FALLING WEIGHT DEFLECTOMETER

Impulse loading Sensors

mechanism
FALLING WEIGHT DEFLECTOMETER

The advantage of an impact load response measuring

device over a steady state deflection measuring device is
that:

• it is quicker
• the impact load can be easily varied
• it more accurately simulates the transient loading of traffic
Correlation between Benkelman Beam and FWD

BB = 1.33269 + 0.9374*FWD

where

BB = Benkelman Beam deflection (inches x 10-3)

FWD = FWD center load deflection (inches x 10-3)

corrected to 9000 lb load applied on 11.8 in diameter plate

R2 = 0.86

(based on unpublished data collected by Washington DOT Materials

Laboratory in 1982 - 1983)
 CHAPTER 5
PAVEMENT REHABILITATION

RECONSTRUCTION
Reconstruction is the removal and rebuilding of all (including
subgrade) or part of the road pavement using fresh material and new
construction specifications.

Pavements that have failed severely are usually those where

deterioration has been allowed to occur without maintenance.

= 0 – 25
PCI
There are two types of reconstruction:

(1) Full-depth reconstruction

Full reconstruction is needed when the subgrade layer as well as the

pavement layers have deteriorated beyond repair. The rebuilding
will include the subgrade.

(2) Partial-depth reconstruction

Partial reconstruction is needed when the road base has been

contaminated and it has lost its inherent stability. The rebuilding
does not include the subgrade.
Identifying Full Reconstruction

Full reconstruction may be needed for the following combination of failures:

• Pavement surface which suffer from crocodile cracks with rut depths of
more than 25 mm, without shoving.
• Pavement surface which suffers cracking with rut depth of more than
15 mm and deep shoving.

Identifying Partial and Base Reconstruction

Partial reconstruction may be needed for the following failures or

combination of failures:

• Spalling and crocodile cracking with rut depth of less than 15 mm.
• Shoving with rut depth less than 15 mm.
• Crocodile cracking with block size less than 100 mm with shoving.