A multi-year pavement maintenance program using a stochastic simulation-based genetic algorithm approach

The objective of this paper is to introduce a multi-year pavement maintenance programming methodology that can explicitly account for uncertainty in pavement deterioration. This is accomplished with the development of a simulation-based genetic algorithm (GA) approach that is capable of planning the maintenance activities over a multi-year planning period. A stochastic simulation is used to simulate the uncertainty of future pavement conditions based on the calibrated deterioration model while GA is used to handle the combinatorial nature of the network-level pavement maintenance programming. The effects of the uncertainty of pavement deterioration on the maintenance program are investigated using a case study. The results show that programming the maintenance activities using only the expected pavement conditions is likely to underestimate the required maintenance budget and overestimate the performance of pavement network.     

Model and a solution algorithm for the dynamic resource allocation problem for large-scale transportation network evacuation

Allocating movable resources dynamically enables evacuation management agencies to improve evacuation system performance in both the spatial and temporal dimensions. This study proposes a mixed integer linear program (MILP) model to address the dynamic resource allocation problem for transportation evacuation planning on large-scale networks. The proposed model is built on the earliest arrival flow formulation that significantly reduces problem size. A set of binary variables, specifically, the beginning and the ending time of resource allocation at a location, enable a strong formulation with tight constraints. A solution algorithm is developed to solve for an optimal solution on large-scale network applications by adopting Benders decomposition. In this algorithm, the MILP model is decomposed into two sub-problems. The first sub-problem, called the restricted master problem, identifies a feasible dynamic resource allocation plan. The second sub-problem, called the auxiliary problem, models dynamic traffic assignment in the evacuation network given a resource allocation plan. A numerical study is performed on the Dallas–Fort Worth network. The results show that the Benders decomposition algorithm can solve an optimal solution efficiently on a large-scale network.     

Risk-based maintenance and rehabilitation decisions for transportation infrastructure networks

A method for determining optimal risk-based maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) policies for transportation infrastructure is presented. The proposed policies guarantee a certain performance level across the network under a predefined level of risk. The long-term model is formulated in the Markov Decision Process framework with risk-averse actions and transitional probabilities describing the uncertainty in the deterioration process. The well known Conditional Value at Risk (CVaR) is used as the measure of risk. The steady-state risk-averse M&R policies are modeled assuming no budget restriction. To address the short-term resource allocation problem, two linear programming models are presented to generate network-level polices with different objectives. While the proposed methodology is general and can be used with any performance indicator, pavement roughness is used for numerical studies and an analytical expression for computing CVaR is derived.     

Model uncertainty and the management of a system of infrastructure facilities

The network-level infrastructure management problem involves selecting and scheduling maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation (MR&R) activities on networks of infrastructure facilities so as to maintain the level of service provided by the network in a cost-effective manner. This problem is frequently formulated as a Markov decision problem (MDP) solved via linear programming (LP). The conditions of facilities are represented by elements of discrete condition rating sets, and transition probabilities are employed to describe deterioration processes. Epistemic and parametric uncertainties not considered within the standard MDP/LP framework are associated with the transition probabilities used in infrastructure management optimization routines. This paper contrasts the expected costs incurred when model uncertainty is ignored with those incurred when this uncertainty is explicitly considered using robust optimization. A case study involving a network-level pavement management MDP/LP problem demonstrates how explicitly considering uncertainty may limit worst-case MR&R expenditures. The methods and results can also be used to identify the costs of uncertainty in transition probability matrices used in infrastructure management systems.     

宜柳高速公路水泥砼路面预防性养护方法

文章从路基、路面、路肩、桥涵防水处治等方面,介绍了广西宜州-柳州高速公路为达成＂十年不换板＂目标而进行的水泥混凝土路面预防性养护实践,阐述了预防性养护所取得的显著效益,并对＂十年不换板＂的经验做法进行总结分析,为高速公路水泥混凝土路面养护提借参考。     

Evaluating the effects of climate change on road maintenance intervention strategies and Life-Cycle Costs

Climate change has the potential to impact long-term road pavement performance. Consequently, to maintain pavements within the same ranges of serviceability as before, current pavement maintenance strategies need to be re-assessed and, if necessary, changed. Changes in maintenance may lead to different agency costs and user costs as a consequence. This paper commences by defining an assessment procedure, showing how maintenance intervention strategies and Life-Cycle Costs (LCC) may be affected by future climate. A typical Virginia flexible pavement structure and anticipated climate change was used as an example. This example is believed to be representative for a great number of localities in the United States. A method using historical climatic data and climate change projections to predict pavement performance using Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) under current or future climate was introduced. Based on pavement performance prediction, maintenance interventions were planned and optimized. The maintenance effects of three treatments (thin overlay, thin overlay with an intermediate layer, and mill & fill) were considered. A Life-Cycle Cost analysis is reported that used binary non-linear programming to minimize the costs (either agency costs or total costs) by optimizing intervention strategies in terms of type and application time. By these means, the differences in maintenance planning and LCC under current and future climate can be derived. It was found, that for this simplified case study, pavement maintenance and LCC may be affected by climate change Optimized maintenance may improve resilience to climate change in terms of intervention strategy and LCC, compared to responsive maintenance.     

A quantum evolutionary algorithm for the second-best congestion pricing problem in urban traffic networks

This paper investigates the congestion pricing problem in urban traffic networks. A first-best strategy, a second-best strategy for toll leveling in closed cordons and a second-best strategy for determining both toll levels and toll points are considered. The problem is known to be a mixed integer programming model and formulated as a bi-level optimization problem, with an objective of maximizing the social welfare. A method is presented to solve the problem, based on a novel metaheuristic algorithm, namely quantum evolutionary algorithm (QEA). To verify the proposed method, the widely used genetic algorithm (GA) is also applied to solve the problem. The problem is solved for a medium-size urban traffic network and the results of the QEA are compared against the conventional GA. Computational results show that the QEA outperforms the GA in solution quality.     

透水性路面及其铺面材料分析

我国新近应用的透水性路面具有很好的工程前景。在简介透水性路面的基础上,重点介绍了透水沥青混合料、透水水泥混凝土、透水路面砖等三种透水性铺面材料及其设计与生产,从工程应用角度分析了其强度特性与耐候性,探讨了其常见病害与维护、维修方法。     

旧水泥砼路面加铺沥青砼的施工技术探讨

文章通过对肇庆市国道G321线高要市小湘至封开涌口段路面大修工程实例进行分析,介绍了该路段在旧水泥混凝土路面上加铺沥青混凝土路面的设计方案、施工及质量控制方法,为此类工程提供借鉴。     

Fair dynamic resource allocation in transit-based evacuation planning

Resource allocation in transit-based emergency evacuation is studied in this paper. The goal is to find a method for allocation of resources to communities in an evacuation process which is (1) fair, (2) reasonably efficient, and (3) able to dynamically adapt to the changes to the emergency situation. Four variations of the resource allocation problem, namely maximum rate, minimum clearance time, maximum social welfare, and proportional fair resource allocation, are modeled and compared. It is shown that the optimal answer to each problem can be found efficiently. Additionally, a distributed and dynamic algorithm based on the Lagrangian dual approach, called PFD²A, is developed to find the proportional fair allocation of resources and update the evacuation process in real time whenever new information becomes available. Numerical results for a sample scenario are presented.     

沥青路面热再生养护设备的应用

文章结合广西桂林-龙胜段二级公路沥青路面病害修补实践,介绍采用沥青路面热再生修补机的施工过程,通过对沥青路面热再生修补法与传统方法的工艺对比,分析其成本和效率,探讨其在公路养护中的应用前景。     

A unified approach for allocation of highway pavement costs

There is a need to allocate various components of highway pavement costs in a unified and consistent manner in highway cost allocation analysis. Previous cost allocation studies have not placed sufficient emphasis on this aspect. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to allocate highway pavement costs. In contrast to the elaborate disaggregate distress function approach by the 1982 Federal Cost Allocation Study, the approach presented is based upon the aggregate performance of a pavement. The methodology was developed and used in the 1983–1984 Indiana Highway Cost Allocation Study to allocate pavement construction, maintenance and rehabilitation costs.     

道路透水路面不同面层材料的特性探讨

我国新近应用的透水路面具有很好的应用前景.文章从工程应用角度分析透水沥青混合料、透水水泥混凝土、透水路面砖等三种透水性面层材料的强度特性与耐候性,探讨其常见病害与维护、维修方法.     

Optimal allocation of limited and random network resources to discrete stochastic demands for standardized cargo transportation networks

We consider the resource allocation problem with discrete random demands and discrete random resource capacities for standardized cargo transportation networks, in which a freight operator needs to determine the integral quantity of booking requests to be accepted for each product to maximize the expected profit. We formulate the problem as a stochastic integer programming model and provide theoretical results that completely characterize the optimal solution to the stochastic model under a special case. We present a progressive augmentation algorithm and a sampling based method for solving the stochastic model under a general case. We also offer numerical experiments to test the two methods and shed light on their performances.     

Impact of environmental assessment and budgetary restrictions in pavement maintenance decisions: Application to an urban network

Road agencies are facing the challenges of aging pavements, deteriorating networks, and insufficient maintenance budgets. This study addresses two limitations in the current state of practice in pavement management. First, because the evaluation of maintenance strategies has traditionally focused on economic and technical aspects, it neglects the environmental impact of maintenance decisions. Second, current management systems often provide a unique, optimised pavement maintenance strategy based on a specific objective(s) and constraint(s). The main objective of the study is to analyse the effect of including environmental aspects and funding availability in the design of maintenance strategies. To achieve this objective, the study followed a three-step methodology. First, this study reviews existing practices on pavement maintenance and the criteria considered to trigger the application of maintenance treatments and their effects on pavement condition. Then, maintenance strategies are optimised considering three levels of budgetary capacity and a sustainable evaluation which incorporates technical, economic, and environmental aspects over the pavement lifecycle. Finally, a case study dealing with an urban pavement network in Chile is analysed. Results obtained from this case study show that an increment of 2% in maintenance budget allows to account for more sustainable maintenance decisions, such as cold in-place recycling and full-depth slab repair, whose greenhouse gas emissions are lower than other alternatives. Results also show that functional asphalt overlay and microsurfacing are more recommended in flexible pavements when budgetary restrictions are low, whereas recommended treatments for rigid pavements exhibit small variability with budgetary restrictions.     

Comprehensive pavement maintenance strategies for road networks through optimal allocation of resources

In order to maintain a growing road infrastructure at some minimum level of service, substantial resources are required on a recurrent basis. Of late, the available resources can no longer meet all the maintenance and rehabilitation demand even in wealthy nations. Hence, there is a need to develop a tool which will optimally allocate these resources in order to keep the road infrastructure as ‘healthy’ as possible. Further, this tool must acknowledge that maintenance needs are not only restricted to structural aspects but also extend to the functional- and safety-related aspects of a road. Here, such a comprehensive optimization tool is developed which when used will optimally allocate resources in order to maintain a healthy (from structural, functional, and safety standpoints) road network. The problem of determining the optimum maintenance and rehabilitation activities for individual road sections is formulated as a linear integer programming problem. Results from a case study using the proposed method show that the suggested maintenance and rehabilitation plans make sense from engineering and economic considerations.     

旧水泥砼路面加铺沥青面层结构技术经济分析

文章结合某高速公路水泥混凝土路面大修情况,介绍不同路段采用不同的加铺沥青层设计方案,并就路面维修建设费用和使用寿命间的经济关系进行分析和研究,为同类维修项目提供参考。     

机场沥青混凝土道面维护与管理

文章分析了机场沥青混凝土道面常见的裂缝类损坏、变形类损坏和表面损坏等主要病害的形成原因,指出各种病害对机场运行可能带来的不同危害,提出常见病害的维修措施.     

浅析沥青路面性能衰减规律

文章通过对重庆成渝高速公路某段运行后的车流量及路面性能状况进行调查,分析其路面病害状况及产生的原因,研究其路面衰减的规律,并针对各个阶段的路面性能,制定出适宜的养护方案。     

Fleet size determination for a truckload distribution center

This work presents an analysis of the fleet size determination problem for a truckload distribution center in which each customer requests multi‐truckload services. A transformation is made to define this problem as a cutting stock problem which can be resolved by finding the proper set of patterns beneficial for an NP‐hard (non‐deterministic polynomial‐time hard) problem. The genetic algorithm (GA) is combined with cutting stock techniques to solve the problem. Experiments are carried out testing two types of problems, with and without time‐window constraints. To verify the solution quality obtained with the proposed approach, the problem is also solved using only GA. It is shown that the proposed approach can significantly improve the GA solution by 14.68%. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.