SMARTP3M: Smart Pavement Monitoring, Management, and Maintenance

Performance of a daily survey to verify pavement roughness and the presence of potholes/ distresses is an ideal practice for efficient pavement management. However, utilizing traditional testing methods for this purpose is extremely expensive and beyond the technical and financial capabilities of different state Departments of Transportation. On the other hand, smartphones and advanced on-board computers recording information related to pavement condition, traffic data, and weather utilizing advanced sensors and stereo cameras are present in almost every vehicle traveling on the roads. This technology is reliable, affordable, and experiencing a fast and continuous development, and much more can be expected in the future. The data is automatically collected on a daily or real-time basis utilizing the accelerometer and GPS sensors existing on drivers' smartphones and vehicles' on-board computers. This case study uses two identical Android smartphones with the same hardware characteristics and performance, software (operating system), accelerometers, GPS characteristics, and accuracy. In addition, this case study uses one driver using the same vehicle to collect all the data. The data is collected, consolidated, analyzed, and translated into roughness for pavement monitoring and management. With the geolocation of pavement in poor condition, a map has been created using geographic information software (GIS) to show DOT's where funding should be allocated, and which roadway segments require attention.