Evaluation of Road Pavement Maintenance by Contract in Jordan

Abstract

In this research, road pavement maintenance by contract in Jordan was investigated. For this purpose, a subjective procedure (the Present Serviceability Rating (PSR)) was used to evaluate pavement serviceability. Three major highways (Jarash-Amman highway, Naour-Dead Sea highway and Zarqa-Syrian borders highway) that were maintained by contract were selected. The developed data base included information on pavement characteristics, traffic type and volume and routine maintenance cost. The effect of maintenance cost on pavement serviceability was estimated by developing a statistical relationship between maintenance cost and pavement serviceability rating before and after maintenance. The results showed that the pavement serviceability of Jarash-Amman highway and Naour-Dead Sea highway was adversely affected after applying maintenance by contract. The pavement serviceability of Zarqa-Syrian borders highway was slightly improved after applying maintenance by contract, but the improvement was not up to expectations. It is believed that the reasons for such results are a combination of the contractor’s poor experience and qualification and the timing of maintenance where the pavement was left without maintenance until it reached fair or poor condition.