Road modelling for infrastructure management

The efficient use of Geographic Information Systems

Abstract

The construction sector is undergoing a digital transition. Local authorities have adopted geographic information systems (GISs) to plan their territories and structure their services, such as transport. Simultaneously, building information modelling (BIM) has demonstrated its advantages during the design and construction phases of structures. An infrastructure project can rely on these two technologies to plan its implementation (GIS), to complete its design and construction (BIM), or to manage associated services, such as mobility (GIS). However, road maintenance, an important part of the infrastructure’s life cycle, is not yet covered by these technologies. Road maintenance necessitates a comprehensive view of the infrastructure and its interactions with other real-world objects (e.g. vegetation, technical networks, or vehicles). Moreover, road managers are the local authorities that already use GISs. For these reasons, a GIS is suitable for fulfilling road maintenance requirements. This study proposes and applies a spatial framework (GIS) for road management, providing results on the organisation of a spatial road framework that is adaptable to the infrastructure’s environment management. The spatial dimension must allow for the representation of the road and its components, including pavements and their dependencies. The structural dimension must be detailed to describe the layers, their formulations, and their thicknesses. The condition of the road must be described concisely so that the managers can plan maintenance.