Pavement Maintenance

in Japan
Kazuyuki Kubo
Head, Pavement and Earthworks Division
National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
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1. Present Status of Roads in Japan - Paved Rate -

Paved Rate Unpaved Rate

Unpaved
100
90
80
70
60
Percemt

50
40 Paved
30
20
10
0
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Year

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1. Present Status of Roads in Japan - Pavement Types -

(2015.4.1)
Asphalt 8,040km
Motorway 8,650km Cement 610km
National Roads 23,700km Asphalt 22,600km
(Managed by MLIT) Cement 1,100km

National Roads 32,000km Asphalt 26,800km

(for Light Traffic 3,700km)
（Managed by Prefecture and Cement 1,200km
Metropolitan Cities） Not-paved 300km
Prefectural Roads Asphalt 82,000km
(for Light Traffic 41,600km)
129,400km Asphalt Cement 1,700km
Not-paved 4,200km
Municipal Roads Asphalt 148,000km
(for Light Traffic 610,000km)
1,027,000km Asphalt for Not- Cement 51,000km
Light Traffic paved Not-paved 218,000km

Total Asphalt 287,000km

Cement (for Light Traffic 656,000km)
1,221,000km Cement 55,000km
Not-paved 223,000km
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2. Pavement Monitoring - Annual Measurement -

・ Total length (managed by MLIT)

about 24,000km

・ Monitoring length (Annually

Implemented)
about 8,000km/ a year
→ whole network is measured every 3
year

・ Road Surface Measuring Devices

Items Measured
*Cracking Ratio
*Rutting Depth
*Roughness (IRI) Road Conference 2017 International
Symposium
2. Pavement Monitoring - Road Surface Measuring Device -

Laser Laser tube Water Cooling System

scanner
Laser beam Electric
Generator

Image reader
Signal processing
Light detection sensor Equipment

Now, we are on the way to Displacement Gauge

Rutting, Cracks, roughness
change this expensive system.

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2. Pavement Monitoring - Measured Data -

Rutting ⇒ Rutting Depth (D)

D1
D2
OWP D=max(D1 , D2)
IWP

Cracking ⇒ Cracking Ratio (C)

Cracking area (m2)

C= Section area (m2) ×100 Calculation method of cracking area is
defined by Manual for Pavement Testing
Method (Japan Road Association)

Roughness ⇒ σ

IRI can be conversed from σ

n = number of data
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3. Pavement Database - Display Map -

Click
Here

Map will be
Displayed

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3. Pavement Database - Service Level Check for each Section -

Alert

Criteria

Display MCI(=distress level of each pavement),

Cracking Ratio, Rutting Depth, and Roughness

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3. Pavement Database - Maintenance Control Index (MCI) -

MCI=10 - 1.48C0.3 - 0.29D0.7 －0.47s0.2

C: Cracking Ratio (%) Concept is very close

D: Rutting Depth (mm) to PSI in USA
s: Roughness (mm)
• Fullmark=10points
• MCI had been used by MLIT as an index for the pavement
management until 2005.
• At present , MLIT uses Cracking Ratio and Rutting Depth as
the important Indices for judgment of repair pavement.
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4. Pavement Condition in National Highways -Cracking Ratio -

14,000

12,000

Length (km) 10,000 Cracking Ratio

15% 25% 35%
8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0
0.0 - 5.1 - 10.1 - 15.1 - 20.1 - 25.1 - 30.1 - 35.1 - 40.1 - 45.1 -
5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0
Crackig Ratio (%) (2014.3)

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4. Pavement Condition in National Highways -Rutting Depth -

9,000

8,000 Rutting Depth

20mm 30mm 40mm
Length (km) 7,000

6,000

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000

1,000

0
0- 6- 11 - 16 - 21 - 26 - 31 - 36 - 41 - 46 -
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
(2014.3)
Rutting Depth (mm)

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4. Pavement Condition in National Highways -Roughness σ-

7,000

6,000

Length (km) 5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000

1,000

0
σ (mm) 0.0 - 0.6 - 1.1 - 1.6 - 2.1 - 2.6 - 3.1 - 3.6 - 4.1 - 4.6 -
0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5

IRI(mm/m) 0.0 - 0.8 - 1.4 - 2.0 - 2.6 - 3.2 - 3.8 - 4.4 - 5.0 - 5.6 -
0.7 1.3 1.9 2.5 3.1 3.7 4.3 4.9 5.5
2 (2014.3)
IRI = 1.2054 σ + 0.123 (R = 0.92) by PIARC EVEN Project in 1998.

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５．Major Point for Pavement Maintenance - New Policy -
As with bridges and tunnels, the Maintenance Cycle shall be established to extend the life of pavement and 1
*1: Life Cycle Costreduce LCC* .
For heavy traffic (trunk)
• Durability of pavement is mostly affected by heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)  the more HGVs that are on the roads, the more rapidly pavement
roads, deterioration occurs
• It is important to make sure the layers underneath the roadbed are in a good condition by repairing the surface as needed, in order to reduce LCC.
• Although the National Government and Expressway Companies (NEXCOs), as well as 80% of all prefectures and 20% of all municipalities, have
• Difference in implemented road inspections, standardized data collection and appropriate preventive maintenance/repair has not been sufficiently implemented.
 Damaging Factors To Pavement
pavement life (repair
 Damage to pavement increases with the axle  The more HGVs that are on the road, the more
cycle) between heavy load to the power of four. (Figure 1) rapidly the asphalt pavement becomes damaged. (FYI)
Residential streets remain healthier when they have less HGV
If the vehicle is 20 tons, the axle load is 20 times higher than that Relationship Between HGV Traffic Volume and
and light traffic road of a typical passenger car and the damage to the pavement by
the 20-t truck is 16 million times greater than that of a passenger
Pavement Damage (Figure 2)
Age of pavement (years)
traffic, unless the street is dug over.

 Classify road network car.

More than 250
vehicles and More than 100
Tama New Town (Tokyo)
(Photo 1)
Yonago Newtown
(Tottori Prefecture)
(Photo 2)

by heavy traffic Level More than 3,000 direction vehicles and

Cracking ratio (%)

vehicles and direction
Traffic
(HGVs: 10%) direction Less than 100
volume (Passenger car: 9%) vehicles and
More than 1,000
vehicles and direction
direction

• Financial and human

Percentage of Progression of damage is
vehicles Pavement is damaged in slow with 1,000 vehicles
that cause the earlier years with more and direction.
damage
than 1,000 vehicles and
resource problem (Almost 100%)
to the A road which has not been repaired for more A road which has not been repaired for
direction. than 30 years. (In a good condition, although more than 40 years. (In a good condition
pavement Source: MLIT data there is some cracking) with no cracking)

especially in local gov.  Ensuring the Soundness of Roadbeds Is Important To Reduce LCC  Pavement Management Today
 Minimize LCC with  About 80% of all prefectures and ordinance-  The budget is decreasing and the appropriate
(1) Rain water, which penetrates roadbeds due to
efficient management damaged surfaces, will ultimately reduce the roadbed’s
designated cities, and about 20% of all municipalities,
have implement pavement inspection. (Figure 3)
preventive maintenance and repairs are
insufficient.
(Figure 4)
support and cause damage to the entire pavement ① ② ③ 未回答

structure. [Prefectures] 19% 2% 1,200 舗装の… 0.6

Pavement project cost (trillion yen)

79% Pavement stock <All road

• There seem some (2) Repairing roadbeds costs 3 times more than repairing administrators >

Pavement stock (thousand km)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 1,000 舗装維…
Pavement repair cost 0.5
surfaces and takes 4 times more work. 回答割合
① ② ③ 未回答
0.4
cases of long life (3) If the roadbed is already compromised, then repairing [Ordinance-
designated city 74% 12% 14%
800
0.3
only the surfaces may result in more damage to the /Special ward]
pavement without surface in a shorter period of time than normal. 0% 20%
①
40%
②回答割合
③
60%
未回答
80% 100%
600
0.2
(4) Due to the above factors, it is important to keep 400
frequent repair work roadbeds sound. Repairing surfaces and other structures [Municipality] 20% 63% 17%
200
0.1
0.0
 How to extend repair in a timely manner is required. 0%

(1) Inspections carried out.

20% 40% 60%
回答割合
80% 100%
0 (0.1)
cycle (2) The only time inspections were carried out were when the Comprehensive
Road Stock Inspection was carried out.
(3) Inspection has never been carried out. ①
(1) ②
(2) ③
(3) 未回答 FY
5.Major Point for Pavement Maintenance -Settlement of Target Service Life-

 Roads with Rapid Progression of Damage

• Set Target Lifetime

 In order to protect roadbeds, surfaces must be efficiently repaired in a timely manner.
 Management is required to increase the life of roads, this can be achieved by creating a targeted
 Pay more attention lifetime for the pavement.
to shorter lifetime  An inspection at least once every 5 years is prescribed.
pavement
 Use of 3 stages for evaluation is recommended.
 Recommend
preservation or 6. Inspection of Asphalt Pavement
reconstruction 6-1. Roads with rapid progression of damage (Type A and B)
(1) Inspection Methods
rather than repair
work such as cut & - Setting the pavement life
overlay The road administrator shall appropriately set the targeted lifetime for the pavement,
 Monitor pavement according to the repair work history in the same area and HGV traffic volume classification.
condition every - Frequency of inspection
five years or The road administrator shall appropriately set a frequency of inspection, while taking into
longer consideration that a frequency of once every five years is recommended.
 Visual observation - Inspection method
or equipment- In light of the characteristics of each road, the road administrator shall set the standard for
aided proper management to understand the pavement condition through appropriate methods
including visual observation and equipment-aided observation.
* targeted lifetime for the pavement
Number of years set as a targeted lifetime for the pavement. The intention is to extend the life of pavement through granular control, including removal of severely damaged sections in
the early years and implementation of appropriate actions depending on the service years and damage level of the asphalt pavement, which has a wide variety in deterioration levels.
5. Major Point for Pavement Maintenance -Identify Damage Level-
Longer life (2) Evaluation of Soundness
Sound or average In the light of the criteria set by the road administrator, pavement shall be appropriately evaluated
condition: using information from the inspection (e.g. cracking ratio, rutting depth and IRI).
* Use of 3 stages for evaluation is recommended.
No need to
Type Condition
consider structural
re-design I Good Damage level: low: In the light of the criteria, the deterioration level is low and the pavement surface is in a good condition.

Phase to keep surface

II Damage level: medium: In the light of the criteria, the deterioration level is medium.
functioning
III Damage level: high: In the light of the criteria, the deterioration level is high and (expected to be) beyond the permissible level
Repair phase
(soon).
Shorter life Service years of the surface exceed the targeted lifetime for the pavement (i.e. layers under the roadbed are thought to be in
(III-1: Surface repair)
a good condition).
Undesirable
(III- 2: Replacement of Service years of the surface do not exceed the targeted lifetime for the pavement (i.e. layers under the roadbed are thought to
condition: roadbed) be damaged).
* Recommended management standards are provided.
Need to consider -Type A road: cracking ratio of 15-20%, rutting depth of 20-25 mm, IRI of 3.5 mm.
structural re- -Type B road: cracking ratio of 20-40%, rutting depth of 20-40 mm, IRI of 8 mm.

design (3) Actions

Based on the evaluation results, the necessary actions shall be taken to implement the pavement repair in an efficient
manner.
* Actions shall be taken based on proper repair design by comparing several LCC scenarios, including a change to
concrete/composite pavement and reinforced roadbed by cement stabilization.

(4) Records
Results of the inspection, evaluation, and actions shall be recorded and kept as long as the pavement is in service.
For type A roads, appropriate methods may be used depending on the road characteristics at each phase of inspection, evaluation, action, and recording,
considering the required service level for high-speed running roads.
5. Major Point for Pavement Maintenance -Case of Local Road-

 Roads with Slow Progression of Damage

For low volume (local) roads  Development and implementation of an inspection plan are prescribed.
 Use of 3 stages for evaluation is recommended.
“broken, then repair”
Less need for monitoring or
efficient management of 6. Inspection of Asphalt Pavement
6-2 Roads with slow progression of damage (Type C and D)
pavement conditions (1) Inspection Methods
-Development of an inspection plan
The road administrator shall appropriately develop an inspection plan considering the total
For more efficient pavement road length, replacement timing, and local characteristics.
management,
- Inspection method
In light of the characteristics of each road, the road administrator shall set the standard for
“ready for future repair” proper management to understand the pavement condition through appropriate methods
Budget plan for repairment is including visual observation and equipment-aided observation.
Recommended to be laid by
* For reference of inspection planning, the deterioration curve for roads with slow progression of damage is
local gov. provided in the appendix.
*If intervals between inspections becomes too long, it is recommended that information from regular patrols is
used to complement the inspection.

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5. Major Point for Pavement Maintenance - Patrol and Treatment -

(2) Evaluation of Soundness

In the light of the criteria defined by the road administrator, pavement shall be appropriately
Pavement is evaluated based on the information obtained from the inspection.
thinner and
* Use of 3 stages for evaluation is recommended.
more simple
than trunk Type Condition

roads I Good
Damage level: low: In the light of the criteria, the deterioration level is low and the
pavement surface is in a good condition.
There is less Phase to keep
II Damage level: medium: In the light of the criteria, the deterioration level is medium.
difference surface function
between III Repair phase
Damage level: high: In the light of the criteria, the deterioration level is high and
(expected to be) beyond the permissible level (soon).
surface and * Recommended management standards are provided.
structural repair Roads with slow progression of damage: Cracking ratio (20% to 40%), rutting depth (20 mm to 40 mm)

(3) Actions
Based on the evaluation results, necessary actions shall be taken to implement the
pavement repair in an efficient manner.

(4) Record
Results of the inspection, evaluation, and actions shall be recorded and kept as long as the
pavement is in service.
For type D roads, regular patrols may be deemed as proper inspections in order to identify surface damage,
take actions, and record the log. Road Conference 2017 International
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6. Trials to Reduce LCC - Performance-Based Contract for Asphalt Pavement Work -
 Both the administrator and the contractor shall identify challenges and explore solutions to assure the long-term quality of the
infrastructure.
 To this end, the administrator should require the contractor to assure a level of performance of the infrastructure for a certain
period of time even after the completion of the work, in order to encourage the contractor to do the work carefully. In this
way, road pavement will become more durable and last longer.
<An Illustration of Long-term Performance Assurance>
• Currently, an inspection is carried out upon completion of work before the infrastructure is put into use.
However, some infrastructure deteriorates faster than others over time, thus requiring proper repair
regardless of the time period after delivery.
• With a long-term performance assurance, rapid deterioration of pavement, as shown “Pavement A” in the
figure below, can be prevented. This will help extend the life of the pavement.
Performance check
Desirable Inspection upon
completion of after a certain period Average years before the
construction (3 years in this case) first repair is performed
C>B>A Set the performance Age of pavement (years)
requirements to be
achievable through normal
work. Avg. 5.5 mm in this case
Under previous and manner,
Note: Failing to meet the
condition just after construction requirements will result in a
Required
penalty charge or reworking
would be checked, and found no performance

difference among A, B and C

(in terms of rutting depth)
Pavement A Pavement B Pavement C
Rutting depth of
Deterioration level

Under performance-based contract, 8 mm or less in

this case
It will become possible to evaluate
C>B>A Deterioration level
that requires repair

“Better construction work for longer life” Road Conference 2017 International Symposium
ICT (Information and Communications Technology in the Pavement Field)
 To increase productivity, “ICT Pavement” (ICT-enabled paving work) has been introduced in FY2017.
 Necessary technical standards and estimation standards were developed in FY2015 and came into
effect in April 2017.

(1) Pre-measurement (2) Designing and planing of (3) Work using ICT-enabled grader (4) Labor-saving in inspection
by laser scanner construction based on ICT-enabled 3D
measurement

OK

Auto-calculation
Laser scanner allows an area-
based (high-density) 3D From the difference between 3D Orderer
measurement in a short period of measurement-based design data and pre- ICT-enabled construction equipment is Laser scanner data-based inspection
time. measurement data, the actual amount of self-operated using 3D design data. reduces documentation work by half.
work necessary is automatically estimated.

Design and
i-Construction Measurement Work Inspection
Work plan

(3) (4)
Partly ICT-based work 3D data -Improved work efficiency 2D data
(1) (2) -No leveling work means
creation less workers
creation
Design and Inspection
Measurement Work
Conventional method Work plan

Plan and cross-section

Amount of work is
estimated from paper- Work based on Repeated measuring and
Manual measurement based drawings Leveling string is set the leveling work until it is shaped Inspection by drilling
ICT (Information and Communications Technology) in the Pavement Field
 ICT is introduced in a phased manner depending on the project phases (from construction to
maintenance/management) and purposes (from streamlining to quality enhancements).

[Purpose] [Phase 1 (from 2017 onward)] [Phase 2] [Phase 3]

Improved work Consider expansion of ICT-enabled work including asphalt paving and
Roadbed work
efficiency cutting overlays
(Introduction of MC grader)
(Construction) (Introduction of MC finisher, MC cutting machines)

Improved work Management of completed

Quality Control (density)
efficiency surface
Non-destructive technology
(Work management) (Laser scanner)
Area-based management of Management of compaction by ICT-enabled roller
completed surface Research and
Acceleration sensor

ICT pavement Development

Effects: construction period
Firm ground
and labor are reduced
Quality control by ICT
Management of long-term Effects: Unevenness of quality is
Improved management performance
level (maintenance / Stored point cloud addressed and labor-saving in quality
(Laser scanner) control
management) data
Measurement of surface characteristics after the road
is opened to public

Big Data
System

Collect Analyze Consideration toward ideal

Quality Improvement
Utilize Stored quality data work/work management to
(Work / work
improve long-term performance
management) Analysis on the long-term fluctuation of face shape data obtained from i-
Construction
What is expected results of applying ICT in the Pavement Field?
[Beneficial Effects for Long-term Performance Assurance System]
ICT is effective,
 Laser scanner improves measurement of completed surface, helping to address issues concerning the
long-term performance evaluation system.
• not only for good
 Area-based quality control will help address unevenness of quality, extend the life of the pavement and construction
reduce the costs, which are what the long-term performance assurance system aims to do. • but also for 2D or 3D
Measurement of completed surface by laser scanner Quality control by ICT construction data

[Challenges] For performance-based

-Area-based quality control using acceleration sensors will help
-Measurement of completed surfaces just after the address unevenness of quality between constructors, extend
construction (initial setting) does not necessarily cover all the life of pavement, and reduce the costs.
contract, 2D or 3D
the sections that need to be evaluated for long-term construction data is very
performance assurance work.
-Initial measurement points may not be accurately identified [Conventional Method] The existing quality control
criteria requires the
effective to understand
in some cases. digging of a given spot to the reason of their
evaluate the density by the
[Solution] sand replacement method, performance, such as
which may cause
-It is possible to obtain initial values wherever the rutting unevenness in the quality
local insufficient
occurs by using a laser scanner to carry out an area-based
[i-Con]
of the pavement. compaction or uneven
measurement just after the completion of the work.
-Accurate location of the initial measurement points can be material
Acceleration sensor-based quality control may identify locations with a
obtained by using point cloud coordinates.
relatively lower rigidity. By applying another rolling compaction, the
quality of pavement will be improved and unevenness can be
Conventional method Laser scanner
addressed immediately and without additional damage.
ICT will encourage and
(line-based measurement) (area-based measurement)
Area-based measurement of rigidity Image of evaluation
assist performance-
Vibration roller
Measurement
point
(At an interval of Spot with less rigidity
based contract and
20 m)
finally contribute to
Acceleration sensor extend pavement life
Rutting
Thank you for your attention!

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