Pavement Management System

Pavements are the most important component of the inland transport system. It is a challenging job for engineers and scientists to optimize the performance of roads to meet the needs of the growing population. It is very important to maintain the existing pavement network in its serviceable condition within the available resources. This can be achieved by adopting an appropriate maintenance strategy for the road network under consideration. Managing the pavements is a very systematic approach. This consists of the following steps:

1. Pavement performance evaluation
2. Determination of maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) requirements
3. Optimization of resources and prioritization of pavement sections for timely and resource-effective maintenance.

These activities collectively create the pavement management system (PMS).

In simple words, the pavement management system (PMS) is a collection of tools and guidelines that helps the agencies to make decisions regarding the building and preservation of a pavement network. This is generally part of a larger asset management program that includes additional infrastructure such as bridges, road signs, and markings, streetlights, etc. Each agency has its unique pavement management system but they all typically consist of the same primary components. 
When it comes to making a decision about whether to construct new roads or to preserve the existing one, PMS plays a vital role. Though there are advances in developing new tools to construct long-lasting pavements, the decision should wisely be taken where to invest the resources and its allocation.  Nowadays there are lots of roads and road networks are aging. Therefore, the focus of transportation agencies has shifted from the construction of new roads towards the preservation of existing pavements.