Evaluation of Semiautomated and Automated Pavement Distress Collection for Network-Level Pavement Management

The Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO) and the University of Waterloo examined the feasibility of using automated pavement distress collection techniques in addition to data collected through manual surveys. Test sections including surface-treated, asphalt concrete, composite, and portland cement concrete pavement structures in 37 locations in southern Ontario, Canada, were evaluated. Distress manifestation index (DMI) values were computed for each section by MTO pavement design and evaluation officers using the manual evaluation data collected. DMI values were then computed for each section by using automated distress evaluation data. Before DMI values could be computed, the relevant data had to be extracted and verified, and the distress data had to be categorized. DMI values computed from data collected manually and by using automated systems were compared. Finally, a repeatability analysis was performed on both the manual and the automated techniques. Results indicate no significant differences among sensor-based equipment; however, there are significant differences among measurements obtained from digital image-based technology. The implications of such outcomes are discussed, including the specifics regarding methodology implementation in order to encourage practitioners to benefit from the preliminary investigation. Current available techniques can provide MTO with valuable information for pavement management purposes. The automated results are comparable with manual surveys. However, these surveys should be supplemented with manual surveys, especially for design purposes, because some of the pavement distresses were difficult to identify with the automated methods.