Quantifying the Impacts of Utility Cuts on Roadway Pavements in the City of Saskatoon

It is with increasing frequency that agencies are faced with the impact utility cut installations have on their roadway networks. Excessive utility cuts in pavements are known to cause premature deterioration, pavement weakening, excessive road roughness for the pavement structures, and decrease of pavement asset values. In 2018 the City of Saskatoon (the City) with the assistance of Tetra Tech Canada Inc. (Tetra Tech) completed a study to demonstrate the difference in pavement performance resulting from the presence of utility cuts between 2014 and 2017 on the City’s roadway network. First, roadway condition data (International Roughness Index (IRI) and Pavement Condition Index (PCI)) were assessed for sections with and without utility cuts installed between 2014 and 2017. The features and patterns in the change of IRI and PCI are explored for each City roadway class. Significant differences in reported IRI and PCI were found between pavement with and without utility cuts. Second, the characteristics of utility cuts including the size of the cuts, pavement age, and the IRI and PCI when the cuts were conducted were analyzed. The resultant costs relative to the loss in service life over the pavement life-cycle were determined. Based on pre-utility cut condition instead of pavement age, the pavement performance impacts and potential loss of service resulting from utility cuts were assessed. Finally, linear regression models of IRI and PCI were determined for each roadway class with and without utility cuts. IRI and PCI deterioration curves were developed to evaluate the expenses for utility cuts, loss of service life, pavement rehabilitation cost. Asset value impact matrix were proposed for each roadway class. It is found that the impacts of utility cuts can be quantified, and an associated reduction in roadway asset value and pavement serviceability can be calculated. The information in this study may ultimately be used by the City to assist in determining the costs associated with the utility cuts on their roadway pavement network, and in quantifying the impact of utility cuts on pavement serviceability and the typical loss in pavement asset value.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.tac-atc.ca/en/knowledge-centre/technical-resources-search/conference-papers/quantifying-the-impacts-of-utility-cuts-on-roadway-pavements-in-the-city-of-saskatoon/
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Association of Canada

  ,    
• Authors:
  • PALSAT, B
  • Liu, Q
  • Luo, C
  • Jago, B
  • Johnston, A
• Conference:
  • Transportation Association of Canada 2020 Conference and Exhibition - The Journey to Safer Roads
• Publication Date: 2020

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Pagination: 1 PDF file, 356 KB, 18p.
• Monograph Title: Transportation Association of Canada 2020 Conference and Exhibition - The Journey to Safer Roads

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Condition surveys; Conferences; Costs; Loss and damage; Networks; Pavements; Repairing; Roads; Sawing; Urban areas
• Uncontrolled Terms: Road networks
• Geographic Terms: Canada
• ITRD Terms: 8018: Canada; 3857: Condition survey; 8525: Conference; 224: Cost; 1614: Damage; 2955: Pavement; 3635: Repair; 1053: Road network; 5128: Sawing; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pavements; I61: Equipment and Maintenance Methods;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01759521
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transportation Association of Canada
• Files: ITRD, TAC
• Created Date: Dec 1 2020 1:58PM