Investigation of Typical Distresses of Flexible Pavements in Dhaka City and Possible Remedies

Pavement condition rating (PCR) is a popular indicator for prioritizing maintenance of flexible pavements. Flexible pavements are vulnerable because of inappropriate geometric design, reduced maintenance, and climate hazards. This study investigates the condition of the flexible pavements in the arterial roads of Dhaka city. Currently, no database exists for the pavement condition of the roads of Dhaka. This study is undertaken to rank roads based on pavement condition ratings and to recommend maintenance alternatives. The pavement evaluation is done manually through visual inspection of recorded images of the distress of the selected road sections. Eighteen representative road sections from four zones of Dhaka were examined. In 2019, the length and frequency of pavement cracks, drainage deficiencies, traffic volume, and driving discomfort were measured. The PCR values for the examined roads ranged from 58 to 92 on a scale of 0–100. Riding quality was related to edge cracking, block cracking, drainage inadequacy, and Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) in a correlation test of the connected variables. Based on the PCR value and kind of cracks, general and crack-specific maintenance suggestions for the selected roadways and associated costs were presented. Potholes and Alligator cracks were more noticeable than patching, raveling, and shoving. More than half of the road sections needed regular maintenance, while others required overlay. Interestingly, no pavement needed reconstruction as the maintenance option. Some suggestions to modify existing pavement maintenance practices, such as increasing curing time, scraping older pavements, and using cost-effective treatment solutions, were recommended. This condition rating can be used to repair pavement distresses and ensure proper pavement maintenance across Dhaka city.