The impact of maintenance on unsealed road performance

ARRB and Moorabool Shire Council (MSC) in central Victoria have completed a two year study of the performance of a large sample of unsealed local roads in the MSC road network. The aim of the study was to quantify the immediate and longer term impact of grader blading and surface resheeting on unsealed roads. The study commenced late in 2011/12 with the measurement of the baseline rideability (road roughness) condition of the road network by MSC using the ARRB Roughometer. Designated road sections in the network were for individual monitoring of roughness. The study over the 2012/13 and 2013/14 years was jointly funded by the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA), NSW Roads and Transport Directorate and the Austroads Technology Program. MSC regularly measured the unsealed roads performance data (roughness) often at monthly intervals. Data was collected both before and after grader blading and resheeting along with quantifying the other variables influencing performance including traffic. The funding arrangement provided for data assembly, analysis and documentation of the resulting refined algorithms from the roughness data collected to improve the Shire’s existing road deterioration (RD) and works effects (WE) algorithms. Results of statistical analysis and suggested modifications to road deterioration algorithms are being made widely available to local government via knowledge transfer through ARRB to assist in the asset management capability of unsealed roads. These algorithms are expected to be adaptable to the varying local conditions of unsealed roads in other locations. The algorithms may provide a useful basis for determining the portion of road deterioration caused by heavy vehicles for heavy vehicle charging purposes if and when increased axle loads are permitted on unsealed local roads.

• Record URL:
  http://arrbknowledge.com
• Authors:
  • Dias, M
  • Thoresen, T
  • Martin, T
  • Hore-Lacy, W
  • Linard, K
• Conference:
  • ARRB Conference, 26th, 2014, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
• Publication Date: 2014-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 13p
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: 1.2

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asset management; Data collection; Gravel roads; Local government; Maintenance; Maintenance management; Planning; Roughness; Texture; Unpaved roads
• Uncontrolled Terms: Pavement technology; Road design and asset management
• Geographic Terms: Australia; Victoria
• ATRI Terms: Asset management; Data collection; Local government; Maintenance planning; Roughness; Unsealed road
• ITRD Terms: LOCAL AUTHORITY
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Planning and Forecasting; I61: Equipment and Maintenance Methods;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01547992
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Dec 17 2014 10:48AM