Pavement Management for Large Highway Networks

This paper presents the results of a special study which was conducted to determine how a heavily industrialized state, with a large highway network such as Pennsylvania, can develop a Pavement Management System (PMS). The study consisted of an evaluation of what other states have done to implement a PMS and how their work can be expanded for Pennsylvania's purpose. The study also evaluated the various in‐house PMS techniques which are currently being used by the department, such as: Mays Meter roughness, Road Rater deflections, and distress surveys. A Pavement Management System was suggested for Pennsylvania and other large states that consisted of a modular implementation scheme. It was suggested that a PMS Development Group oversee the implementation of the system. The first module would consist of a complete inventory of the serviceability of the pavement network by Present Serviceability Index. The second module would be the development of a distress survey for prioritizing projects. Future modules would consist of prediction equations, life cycle costing, and optimization.