Modern Engineering Approaches to Improving Road Infrastructure in Uzbekistan: A Life-Cycle Review of Materials, Digital Technologies and Intelligent Transport Systems

Background: Road infrastructure is a decisive factor for the competitiveness of Uzbekistan, a doubly landlocked country with a continental climate, saline soils and rising heavy-vehicle loads. Conventional design and construction practices only partly address these conditions. Methods: A narrative comparative review was carried out for six engineering approaches: polymer-modified asphalt concrete, geosynthetics, Building Information Modelling (BIM), UAV-based monitoring, 3D geodetic scanning and intelligent transport systems (ITS). Each approach was assessed against technical performance, effect on service life, economic efficiency, measurement or control accuracy, road-safety impact and local applicability. Results: The approaches are complementary rather than alternative. Materials (polymer-modified asphalt, geosynthetics) increase durability under high temperature amplitudes and weak, saturated or saline subgrades; digital tools (BIM, UAV, scanning) improve the accuracy and speed of design and quality control; ITS improves traffic management and safety during operation. Reported effect sizes are indicative and strongly site-dependent. Conclusions: The greatest benefit is expected when the technologies are introduced together across the road life cycle (design, construction, operation). Key barriers are high initial cost, a shortage of skilled personnel, incomplete national standards and fragmented data exchange. Practical recommendations, including pilot sections and alignment of national standards with international practice, are proposed.