AN INFORMATION SYSTEM WITH A DIGITAL HIGHWAY DATA VEHICLE

Condition data and related analysis on existing roadway and roadside structure are important for a highway department in the decisionmaking process for infrastructure management and rehabilitation, improvement of road geometric, and realignment and traffic studies. To a large degree this decisionmaking process relies on the accurate and adequate data collection through use of data collection devices. Frequently, customized vehicles equipped with data collection equipment are used to collect right-of-way (ROW) video or images, road ride quality, pavement rutting, pavement surface images, and other location related highway data. Technologies used in a data vehicle include vision and imaging, high performance sensors, Global Positioning System (GPS), microcomputers, and automated data storage and processing components. Recognizing a need to use more efficient and more productive techniques and technologies for highway data collection, a research team at the University of Arkansas labored several years in their effort to produce a state-of-the-art highway data collection device. This paper presents a new design of a multi-function highway data vehicle, its implementation, benefits of using a full-digital data collection system for highway infrastructure management, and the supporting information system to manage and deliver collected data sets to engineers. Specifically, performance of a digital image collection system for pavement surface distress survey is discussed in detail.