Integrated Roadway Asset Management (IRAM)

In 2007, for the first time in history, global urban population surpassed 50 % of the total.
Movement of goods and service accessibility is essential for sustainability of the post-industrial
society. Roadway networks remain an essential means of achieving economic growth.
Aging infrastructure and increasing traffic loading pose a challenge to roadway managing
agencies. Long term investment planning is a means which agencies look to apply in creating
infrastructure asset management plans. A key challenge is balancing bridge and pavement
funding needs such that the state of the network allows for efficient, safe and reliable movement
of people and goods.
This paper examines an Integrated Roadway Asset Management (iRam) approach to long term
investment planning. Trade-off analysis between the bridge and pavement sub-assets is inherit
as the bridge network is integrated into the pavement network. Development of the Structural
Integration Factor (SIF) is instrumental in converting structures to equivalent pavement sections,
such that a homogenous pavement network represents both sub-assets. iRam is subsequently a
mutually inclusive (MI) approach of investment planning, compared to current industry practice
where pavement and bridge needs are planned through mutually exclusive (ME) organizational
processes.

Two 10-year investment plans for a model network were developed and compared. iRam
outperformed the ME approach in maximizing roadway network performance, optimization of
funds, and organizational effectiveness. A theoretical organizational implementation plan for
iRam is developed.

Further development of iRam is suggested through incorporation of safety and operational
performance indicators.