Fuzzy Set-Based and Performance-Oriented Pavement Network Optimization System

The objective of the current network optimization system (NOS) model used in Arizona is to minimize annual pavement preservation cost over the planning period. This paper presents an alternative NOS model with the objective of maximizing pavement performance. In addition, fuzzy set representations for different pavement factors are introduced to determine the pavement performance ratings for various pavement condition states, which are necessary to generate the objective function. In this performance-oriented NOS, a uniform annual budget is used as a constraint. This NOS model simulates a possible scenario of a state department of transportation (DOT) for effectively using a given budget in the planning period. The pavement network's performance is maximized for the allocated budget. Necessary minimum annual budgets are analyzed for various pavement performance requirements. A rational annual budget for the needed pavement performance standards can be obtained, which may be used as decision support data for future budget allocations. The research shows that the level of annual budget is very sensitive to variations of the required proportion of pavement in the low roughness requirement, when this proportion is higher than 0.91. A small increase of the proportion of pavement in low roughness significantly increases for annual budget needs. A requirement for low cracking has less effect on the needed annual budget.