Evaluation of pavement maintenance strategies

Performance of a pavement is greatly affected by the type, timeliness and quality of maintenance it receives. Regular maintenance can slow the rate at which a pavement deteriorates from traffic loads and climatic conditions. Nationally, pavements are deteriorating faster than they are being restored because maintenance funds have not been sufficient to take care of the needs. Pavement maintenance strategies are closely related to and a component of pavement management systems. Pavement management in a broad sense includes all the activities contained in the planning, design, construction, and rehabilitation of a pavement. Recommendations for pavement maintenance include: selection of alternative treatments should consider present serviceability of the pavement, probable performance of alternative treatments, required life of pavement, costs, effects on traffic flow, effects on road user, appearance and availability of resources; each agency should have a maintenance manual that covers major pavement defects, alternative strategies, cost and life of each strategy, and a pavement management system is desirable for effective development of pavement maintenance strategies.