Inventory-Based Rating System: Stable and Implementable Method of Condition Assessment for Unpaved Roads

The current rating systems for unpaved roads lack stability and reliability and, therefore, provide little benefit as a project- or network-level metric. Since many of these systems are derived from paved road assessment systems, they focus heavily on surface distresses rather than road width, drainage, and other features. Because unpaved roads can change rapidly, measuring surface distresses is an unreliable rating factor. The Inventory-Based Rating (IBR) system assesses unpaved roads on Surface Width, Drainage Adequacy and Structural Adequacy. These features impact road users and have significant costs associated with creation and maintenance. The system defines a baseline condition for each inventory feature with its tiered good-fair-poor rating. Five counties, selected based on their road network classification, participated in a pilot IBR data collection. User feedback was also collected from participants. The study showed very high repeatability and reliability of the IBR system. It also provided productivity benchmarking, which can forecast the time commitment for data collection. User feedback resulted in modifications to the system.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AFB30 Standing Committee on Low-Volume Roads. Alternate title: Inventory Based Rating System: A Stable and Implementable Method of Condition Assessment for Unpaved Roads.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Colling, Tim
  • Kiefer, John
  • Torola, Pete
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 96th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2017-1-8 to 2017-1-12
• Date: 2017

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 17p
• Monograph Title: TRB 96th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drainage; Gravel roads; Pavement management systems; Unpaved roads; Width
• Uncontrolled Terms: Inventory based rating; Structural adequacy
• Geographic Terms: Michigan
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01629817
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 17-01935
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 26 2017 5:39PM