Development of appropriate technology road condition monitoring system

Abstract

This dissertation is concerned with the principles of pavement management systems and their applications in western and developing countries. The first part of the dissertation deals with the principles of pavement engineering and the role of the different layers in order to gain the required knowledge in highway pavement components, which will allow a cost-effective repair related to each specific defect. The second part deals with the existing systems for monitoring pavement condition and evaluatest heir benefit in assessingh ighway condition. The study shows the main problems usually militate against using the sophisticated technology in monitoring highway condition and implementing maintenance management systems in some cities in developing countries. In addition to the problems inherent in cities in developing countries, the city of Benghazi in Libya has special factors which have developed as a result of UN sanctions which were imposed in 1992. Therefore, the city of Benghazi has been selected as a case study for this particular research since it is a typical example of most cities in developing countries in terms of size, population and in ten-ns of lack of maintenance resources and skilled labour (Benghazi might have been so well resourcedth at it would no longer fall into the categoryo f developingc ity but for the sanction). The objectives of the study are attained through conclusions which indicate that establishing a pavement maintenance strategy in the city of Benghazi based on any or some of the sophisticated technology in road condition monitoring is not appropriate. This conclusion is tested by manufacturing a unique prototype measuring machine and using it in pilot monitoring exercises in the cities of Newcastle and Sunderland. The results of these pilot exercises are analysed to evaluate the benefit which such appropriate technology equipment can bring to the issue of monitoring of pavement condition in cities in developing countries having problems similar to those that prevail in Benghazi. The prototype equipment developed in this study is unique in that it is purely mechanical and uses no electronics in monitoring road condition. Moreover, all parts of the machine are fabricated from materials available in most cities in developing countries and therefore such machines could be easily maintained locally. The prototype described in this study is not only relevant to road monitoring but points the way towards the development of similar equipment in many engineering situations in developing countries. This research study points engineers in similar conditions in the direction that the Author thinks they should follow in applying their engineering abilities in developing countries.