A SYSTEMS APPROACH APPLIED TO PAVEMENT DESIGN AND RESEARCH

THE COMPLEX NATURE OF HIGHWAY PAVEMENTS AND THE DEMANDS PLACED ON THEM BY TRAFFIC AND ENVIRONMENT HAVE RESULTED IN A PIECEMEAL AND INCOMPLETE DESIGN METHODOLOGY. IT HAS BECOME APPARENT FROM ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM THAT REALISTIC ANALYSES OF PAVEMENT DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS CAN BE OBTAINED ONLY BY LOOKING AT THE TOTAL PAVEMENT SYSTEM, I.E., THROUGH SYSTEMS ANALYSIS. THIS REPORT DESCRIBES SUCH AN APPROACH AND PRESENTS A WORKING SYSTEMS MODEL. MORE THAN 50 PHYSICAL INPUTS AND CONSTRAINTS ARE USED IN THE MODEL AND THE OUTPUT IS A SET OF RECOMMENDED PAVEMENT DESIGN STRATEGIES BASED ON THE NET PRESENT WORTH OF THE LOWEST TOTAL COST. FROM THESE THE PAVEMENT DESIGNER OR ADMINISTRATOR MAY SELECT HIS DESIGN. THIS APPROACH GIVES HIM CONSIDERABLY EXPANDED SCOPE AND FLEXIBILITY IN EXPLORING DESIGN OPTIONS AND A BETTER CHANCE OF ACHIEVING THE BEST POSSIBLE DESIGN WITH NO LOSS OF THE NORMAL DECISION-MAKING POWER. THE REPORT DISCUSSES POSSIBLE WAYS OF UTILIZING THIS INITIAL WORKING SYSTEM TO ESTABLISH AN OVERALL SYSTEM OF PAVEMENT ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION, I.E., A PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. THE FACTORS REQUIRED TO PUT THE DESIGN SYSTEM INTO PRACTICE ARE DISCUSSED AND A PROPOSED ORGANIZATION FOR ACQUIRING AND USING INPUT DATA AND STORING PERFORMANCE INFORMATION FOR FUTURE USE IS PRESENTED. IN ADDITION, A POSSIBLE PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTING THE APPROACH INTO THE TEXAS HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT PROCEDURE IS DISCUSSED. THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST YEAR OF EFFORT ON THE PROJECT ARE DISCUSSED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO PAVEMENT DESIGN AND RESEARCH IS FEASIBLE AND SHOULD BE FURTHER PURSUED TO DEVELOP MORE COMPREHENSIVE PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES. /AUTHOR/