Date of Graduation

2001

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

Committee Chair

John Zaniewski

Abstract

The motoring public has an expectation that they will be provided with roads that are both safe and in satisfactory condition. State highway agencies’ investment of public funds to keep roads in good condition pays large rewards in terms of savings for road users. Highway agencies using a Pavement Management System (PMS) will be provided with information for better decisions to ensure the tax-paying public gets the best value for their dollars. This project consists of developing a useful and efficient network-level PMS for District Five of the West Virginia Division of Highways. The study area includes the counties of Grant, Hardy, Mineral, Hampshire, Morgan, Berkeley, and Jefferson in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. District personnel must maintain approximately 1,340 miles of paved roadway. A review of the existing pavement management practices of District 5 was made and the West Virginia District Level Pavement Management System (WV DPMS) was developed. Existing data was used for the initial analyses and procedures to collect future data are presented. WV DPMS consists of an inventory, condition assessment, treatment recommendation, priority analysis, performance model, and budget requirements. The WV DPMS will identify maintenance options, help prioritize competing road sections for immediate attention, and anticipate future deterioration. The WV DPMS will also aid in justifying budget requests to keep roads in good condition. The system is directed toward achieving the best possible value for the available public funds in providing and operating smooth, safe, and economical road surfaces. This report documents the methods used for the development of a PMS, the recommendations for implementation of the system, and the recommendations for the preservation of pavements in the study area. The project is a case study to demonstrate the effectiveness of WV DPMS and also serves to provide District 5 with better decision-making tools. The field investigation, analysis, implementation procedures, and conclusions are presented for the application of WV DPMS for the West Virginia DOT. Other Districts in the state will be able to immediately implement WV DPMS following the methods and procedures presented in this report.

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