Development Of Pavement Maintenance Management System (PMMS) of Patiala City Road Network Using HDM-4 Model

Abstract

The road transport is in great demand due to its many inbuilt and inherent advantages including its flexibility and reliability. In present scenario, suitable maintenance of highway network is essential for any country for its economic growth. The maintenance of road sections is an essential requirement for the efficiency of highway network. Indian Road Network is the second largest road network in the world comprising of National Highways, State Highways, Major District Roads, Other District Roads and Urban Roads. To meet the increasing demands of higher pay loads at minimum unit haulage costs, overloading of vehicles has been a common phenomenon on Indian Urban Roads. A rough estimate suggests that more than 50 per cent of the length of Indian Urban Road network is in bad condition needing immediate attention. Allocation of funds for maintenance does not exceed 50 per cent of the normal requirements of roads. Consequently, the gap between the allocation and requirements has been accumulating over the years. So, systematic maintenance of Urban Roads is must. The focus of the thesis work is mainly on developing Pavement Maintenance Management System (PMMS) for four road sections of Patiala urban road network using HDM-4 model. The Highway Development and Management model (HDM-4) provides a deterministic approach in data input and processing by utilizing data on existing road condition, traffic volume and composition to predict road deterioration as per the urban road conditions in terms of International Roughness Index (IRI) value. This study presents the use of HDM-4 model for the computation of Remaining Service Life (RSL) of all the road sections. Optimum Maintenance and Rehabilitation (M&R) strategy have been determined for each road section using HDM-4 software. Comparative study between Scheduled type and Condition Responsive type M&R strategies has been conducted with the help of HDM-4 model. The Pavement Maintenance Management System methodology, developed in this study would be useful for the road agencies in planning pavement maintenance strategies in a scientific manner and ensuring rational utilization of limited maintenance funds. Graphical presentations of PMMS results will also be useful for gaining better support from decision-makers, for adequate and timely fund allocations for preservation of the urban road network.