Highway Asset Management in Pakistan using Geographical Information System (GIS)

Abstract

In developing countries like Pakistan, major investment on infrastructure is for building roads and bridges including maintenance and rehabilitation, which improve economy on long term basis. A comprehensive asset management system is needed to store, retrieve and query data such as maps, aerial photographs, satellite imageries, basic physical attributes of roads, pavement conditions, maintenance and rehabilitation strategies. There is an earnest need to introduce Geographic Information System (GIS) based asset management for transportation infrastructure which assists in planning and prioritization of assets with its storage, transformation, analysis, modelling and reporting capabilities. GIS based highway asset management system (GHAMS) of Lahore – Islamabad Motorway (M-2) was developed. Data pertaining to Design, Construction, Operation, Maintenance & Rehabilitation activities, pavement evaluation, satellite imageries and maps, etc. has been collected and database developed which is then linked with Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) ArcMap & TransCAD Software. GHAMS can be updated easily and provides information for the complete life cycle of an asset which includes the design, construction, performance, rehabilitation, maintenance, reconstruction or replacement of the asset. This system made readily available the data associated with asset performance, maintenance and rehabilitation cost by generating reports for performance monitoring and evaluation, record of repair and maintenance activities, minimizing existing budgets and preparation of future budgets.