Integrating Guardrail System Preservation Policies into Asset Management Practices

Abstract

Asset management provides a strategic framework for infrastructure systems and focuses on getting the most out of their performance with the available resources. To determine future budget needs, highway agencies must have the necessary data and analytical tools with which to predict the performance of highway assets over time. Currently, transportation asset management systems are at different maturity levels. Pavement and bridges are considered the big ticket of all highway assets, but the preservation of signs, signals, lighting, guardrails, and pavement markings is also crucial to protect road users. Despite its importance, one of the safety assets with fewer asset management analytical tools is guardrail systems. Transportation agencies typically replace or repair guardrails that have endured major damage from car crashes. To implement a proactive preservation program, in agreement with transportation asset management practices, various parameters must be known. These parameters include inventory information, current guardrail condition, and performance models to forecast changes in the guardrail system condition over time. This paper describes a performance-based model with an analytical method to formulate a proactive preservation program for guardrail systems. The model was developed from inventory data and predicts changes in the guardrail system condition over time. A case study estimates the annual agency costs and backlogged costs over a 10-year analysis period. This model can be integrated into an asset management system to facilitate the formulation of preservation programs for guardrail systems at the strategic level.