Pavement Performance Index Differences among General Pavement, Bridge Deck Pavement, and Tunnel Pavement Based on Inspection Data

The performance of road pavement is the key factor in determining the scheme and expenditure of maintenance. The historical pavement quality index (PQI) of asphalt pavement, taken from six expressways that were over five years old, were analyzed by comparative analysis of the absolute values and the different values of the PQI. The analysis of absolute values demonstrated that the general road pavement had the same variation tendency with the 300-500 m and 500-1000 m bridge decks. The difference of the PQI was within 1. A completely different tendency was present within the big bridge decks, where a maximum PQI difference 3.54 was found. The same variation tendency was found within the short and the medium tunnel pavement, where the PQI was within 1.5. The long tunnel pavement was far higher, with the maximum PQI difference being 7.31. The analysis of different values showed that as the bridge length and the tunnel length increase, the PQI difference of general road pavement and bridge decks varied from a general difference to a large difference. The PQI difference of the general road pavement and the tunnel pavement shifted from a general difference to a significant difference. The results of the study on the PQI absolute values and different values of the three types of pavement showed that the big bridge decks, long tunnel pavement, and especially long tunnel pavements need to be treated differently than other pavements when forming a pavement routine maintenance scheme, and estimating the maintenance quantity, and the calculation of expenditures. This would improve the accuracy of the routine maintenance budgets.