Supporting preventive maintenance programs with pavement management

Many agencies that have attempted to implement pavement preservation programs that include the use of preventive maintenance treatments have found that their pavement management systems are not able to support the program without significant changes. For instance, the types of pavement deterioration measured in most pavement condition survey procedures, such as surface cracking, roughness, and rutting, do not necessarily support the identification of preventive maintenance treatments. Examples of techniques that have been used by agencies to successfully integrate preventive maintenance treatments into their pavement management systems may also help agencies that are just beginning to address this issue. Finally, conceptual guidance is needed to emphasize the importance of improved integration efforts to support the decision-making process at the strategic, network, and project levels. This paper provides much-needed background on pavement management and preventive maintenance integration. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E212095.