Mives multicriteria assessment of urban-pavement conditions: application to a case study in Barcelona

There are very few methods that can be used for the assessment of pavement conditions. Their application to urban networks tends to be complex, given the wide variety of urban pavement types (concrete, asphalt, and paving tiles) and their different functions (traffic, pedestrian, or both). A flexible method that can address the complexity of different areas is therefore proposed in this paper through a case study of pavement conditions. Hence the interest of this new approach for pavement management that employs a multi-criteria method adaptable to various urban environments: the Integrated Value Model for Structural Assessment (MIVES). It incorporates the Value Function (VF) concept in an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), combining both Multi-criteria Decision Making and Multi-Attribute Utility Theory. The methodology is presented and its sensitivity is evaluated by means of a case study in the city of Barcelona. The quality index of various pavements is assessed through a survey of pavement distresses in a systematic categorisation of urban network pavement categories that is accurate, consistent, and repeatable.