Optimizing highway maintenance operations: dynamic considerations

Effective highway maintenance depends on several activities, including the understanding of current and the prediction of future pavement conditions and deciding how to best allocate limited resources for maintenance operations. In this paper, a dynamic micro‐level simulation model of highway deterioration and renewal processes is presented. This model is calibrated with data from eight road sections in Virginia and is coupled with an optimization module that optimizes maintenance operations. The analysis offers alternative priority setting schemes that improves current maintenance practices at the project and network levels. This approach provides a blueprint for designing optimal highway maintenance practices.