Evaluation of the condition of flexible pavement using automated inspection techniques: PCI and IRI mountain road study

Ney de los Santos Avellaneda Rodas J.; Garcia-Alvarez M.Y. · Proceedings of the LACCEI international Multi-conference for Engineering, Education and Technology (2026) · DOI: 10.18687/laccei2026.1.1.2087

Resumen

Reliable assessment of the condition of flexible pavements is a fundamental aspect of road asset management, especially on mountain roads, where geometric, climatic, and operational conditions accelerate deterioration. Traditionally, this assessment has relied on visual inspections and the isolated use of indicators such as the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), which can lead to partial diagnoses and inefficient maintenance decisions. This study evaluates the condition of a toll road on a mountain highway through the integrated analysis of the PCI and the International Roughness Index (IRI), employing automated inspection techniques based on high-resolution, continuous-capture instrumented systems. The proposed approach allows for the simultaneous evaluation of surface deterioration and the functional performance of the pavement at the network scale. The results of the case study demonstrate a weak correlation between the two indicators, confirming that they represent distinct deterioration mechanisms and that their independent application is insufficient for comprehensive road management. As its main contribution, the research provides empirical evidence in a high mountain environment under real operation, demonstrating that the integration of traditional indicators with automated inspection technologies offers a more solid technical basis for decision-making in performance-oriented maintenance schemes and proposing a periodic conservation plan, aligning road management with safety, comfort and sustainability objectives.

Instituciones: Universidad Tecnológica del Perú