Sustainable management framework for transportation assets: application to urban pavement networks

Abstract

Transportation assets play a crucial role in the development of society, being the backbone of socio-economic development but also a key contributor to climate change. Transportation asset management systems include a set of tools to support agencies in the decision on which infrastructure of a network should be preserved, maintained and/or rehabilitated. However, the evaluation of these networks has traditionally focused on economic and technical aspects of interurban networks. Considering the direct impacts on the evolution of social and natural environments, management of these assets needs to be sustainable. This article proposes a methodology for the sustainable management of transportation assets, by integrating technical, economic, environmental, social and political aspects in the Life Cycle-Assessment of a network. The methodology proposes a framework that integrates these aspects in the various components and processes considered in a management system. It incorporates a Geographic Information System as the main platform to pursue the socio-political analysis based on geographical referencing of formalized variables. The proposed framework is applied to a case study for the management of an urban pavement network. Outcomes demonstrate that it is possible to integrate sustainable aspects, despite their diverse nature, in a management system supported by a Geographic Information System.