System for analyzing transportation infrastructure and minimizing repair costs

• US 7,676,377 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rafie Hamidpour
• Original Assignee: Rafie Hamidpour
• Inventors: Hamidpour, Rafie
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, GEORGE YUNG CHIEH
• Application Number:
  US11/112,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20060241917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/26 Government or public services business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40

Abstract

A system, method, and software product analyzes transportation infrastructure that includes roadways and bridges. Condition indicators are associated with each roadway and bridge, and costs involved with first repairing each bridge and roadway at different points in time considering the condition indicators are determined and compared. Costs involved with maintaining the bridges and roadways are determined and compared. Priority values are associated with each roadway and bridge. Predetermined condition parameters and secondary predetermined condition parameters associated with the priority values are compared to the condition indicators to determine if the roadways and bridges are in need of repair or in definite need of repair. Aggregate costs are determined and compared to current and projected budgets.

Claims

1. A software product comprising instructions, stored on computer-readable media, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, perform steps for evaluating a plurality of roadways, the steps comprising:

(a) associating each respective roadway with at least three condition indicators selected from the group consisting of;

(i) an asphalt ride quality indicator;

(ii) an asphalt alligator cracking indicator;

(iii) an asphalt bleeding indicator;

(iv) an asphalt block cracking indicator;

(v) an asphalt bump/sag indicator;

(vi) an asphalt corrugation indicator;

(vii) an asphalt depression indicator;

(viii) an asphalt edge cracking indicator;

(ix) an asphalt joint reflection cracking indicator;

(x) an asphalt lane/shoulder drop off indicator;

(xi) an asphalt longitudinal and transverse cracking indicator;

(xii) an asphalt patching and utility cut patching indicator;

(xiii) an asphalt pothole indicator;

(xiv) an asphalt railroad crossing indicator;

(xv) an asphalt rutting indicator;

(xvi) an asphalt shoving indicator;

(xvii) an asphalt slippage cracking indicator;

(xviii) an asphalt swell indicator;

(ix) an asphalt weathering and raveling indicator;

(xx) a concrete buckling indicator;

(xxi) a concrete divided slab indicator;

(xxii) a concrete durability cracking indicator;

(xxiii) a concrete faulting indicator;

(xxiv) a concrete joint seal damage indicator;

(xxv) a concrete lane/shoulder drop off indicator;

(xxvi) a concrete linear cracking indicator;

(xxvii) a concrete large patching indicator;

(xxviii) a concrete small patching indicator;

(xxix) a concrete punchout indicator;

(xxx) a concrete railroad crossing indicator;

(xxxi) a concrete scaling/crazing indicator;

(xxxii) a concrete corner spalling indicator; and

(xxxiii) a concrete joint spalling indicator;

(b) determining costs involved with first repairing each roadway at a first point in time considering the associated condition indicators;

(c) determining costs involved with maintaining each roadway over a time interval considering the associated condition indicators where each roadway is first repaired at the first point in time;

(d) determining costs involved with first repairing each roadway at a second point in time considering the associated condition indicators, the first and second points in time being different points in time;

(e) determining costs involved with maintaining each roadway over the time interval considering the associated condition indicators where each roadway is first repaired at the second point in time;

(f) comparing the costs determined in step (b) with the costs determined in step (d);

(g) comparing the costs determined in step (c) with the costs determined in step (e);

(h) associating each respective roadway with one of a plurality of priority values, at least two said roadways having different said priority values, each respective priority value having its own unique set of primary acceptable levels of severity for each condition indicator;

(i) for each roadway, comparing its primary acceptable levels of severity for each condition indicator with its corresponding condition indicators; and

(j) determining that respective roadways having associated condition indicators beyond corresponding primary acceptable levels of severity are in need of repair.

2. The software product of claim 1, wherein each respective priority value has its own set of secondary acceptable levels of severity for each condition indicator, the steps further comprising:

for each roadway, comparing its secondary acceptable levels of severity for each condition indicator with its corresponding condition indicators; and

determining that respective roadways having associated condition indicators beyond corresponding secondary acceptable levels of severity are in definite need of repair.

3. The software product of claim 2, wherein each respective priority value has a combination of said primary and secondary acceptable levels of severity that is unique from all other said priority values.

4. The software product of claim 3, wherein the steps further comprise:

determining an aggregate cost for repairing all roadways determined to be in need of repair; and

determining an aggregate cost for repairing all roadways determined to be in definite need of repair.

5. The software product of claim 1, wherein each respective priority value has its own set of secondary acceptable levels of severity for each condition indicator, the steps further comprising:

for each roadway, comparing its secondary acceptable levels of severity for each condition indicator with its corresponding condition indicators; and

determining that respective roadways having associated condition indicators beyond corresponding secondary acceptable levels of severity are in definite need of repair.

6. The software product of claim 5, wherein the steps further comprise:

determining an aggregate cost for repairing all roadways determined to be in need of repair; and

determining an aggregate cost for repairing all roadways determined to be in definite need of repair.

7. A software product comprising instructions, stored on computer-readable media, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, perform steps for evaluating a plurality of roadways, the steps comprising:

(a) associating each respective roadway with at least three condition indicators selected from the group consisting of;

(i) an asphalt ride quality indicator;

(ii) an asphalt alligator cracking indicator;

(iii) an asphalt bleeding indicator;

(iv) an asphalt block cracking indicator;

(v) an asphalt bump/sag indicator;

(vi) an asphalt corrugation indicator;

(vii) an asphalt depression indicator;

(viii) an asphalt edge cracking indicator;

(ix) an asphalt joint reflection cracking indicator;

(x) an asphalt lane/shoulder drop off indicator;

(xi) an asphalt longitudinal and transverse cracking indicator;

(xii) an asphalt patching and utility cut patching indicator;

(xiii) an asphalt pothole indicator;

(xiv) an asphalt railroad crossing indicator;

(xv) an asphalt rutting indicator;

(xvi) an asphalt shoving indicator;

(xvii) an asphalt slippage cracking indicator;

(xviii) an asphalt swell indicator;

(ix) an asphalt weathering and raveling indicator;

(xx) a concrete buckling indicator;

(xxi) a concrete divided slab indicator;

(xxii) a concrete durability cracking indicator;

(xxiii) a concrete faulting indicator;

(xxiv) a concrete joint seal damage indicator;

(xxv) a concrete lane/shoulder drop off indicator;

(xxvi) a concrete linear cracking indicator;

(xxvii) a concrete large patching indicator;

(xxviii) a concrete small patching indicator;

(xxix) a concrete punchout indicator;

(xxx) a concrete railroad crossing indicator;

(xxxi) a concrete scaling/crazing indicator;

(xxxii) a concrete corner spalling indicator; and

(xxxiii) a concrete joint spalling indicator;

(b) associating each respective roadway with one of a plurality of priority values, at least two said roadways having different said priority values, each respective priority value having its own set of primary acceptable levels of severity for each condition indicator, each respective priority value having its own set of secondary acceptable levels of severity for each condition indicator;

(c) for each roadway, comparing its primary acceptable levels of severity for each condition indicator with its corresponding condition indicators;

(d) determining that respective roadways having associated condition indicators beyond corresponding primary acceptable levels of severity are in need of repair;

(e) for each roadway, comparing its secondary acceptable levels of severity for each condition indicator with its corresponding condition indicators; and

(f) determining that respective roadways having associated condition indicators beyond corresponding secondary acceptable levels of severity are in definite need of repair.

8. The software product of claim 7, wherein each respective priority value has a combination of said primary and secondary acceptable levels of severity that is unique from all other said priority values.

9. The software product of claim 7, wherein the steps further comprise:

determining an aggregate cost for repairing all roadways determined to be in need of repair; and

determining an aggregate cost for repairing all roadways determined to be in definite need of repair.

10. A software product comprising instructions, stored on computer-readable media, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, perform steps for evaluating a plurality of roadways, the steps comprising:

(a) associating each respective roadway with at least four condition indicators selected from the group consisting of;

(i) an asphalt ride quality indicator;

(ii) an asphalt alligator cracking indicator;

(iii) an asphalt bleeding indicator;

(iv) an asphalt block cracking indicator;

(v) an asphalt bump/sag indicator;

(vi) an asphalt corrugation indicator;

(vii) an asphalt depression indicator;

(viii) an asphalt edge cracking indicator;

(ix) an asphalt joint reflection cracking indicator;

(x) an asphalt lane/shoulder drop off indicator;

(xi) an asphalt longitudinal and transverse cracking indicator;

(xii) an asphalt patching and utility cut patching indicator;

(xiii) an asphalt pothole indicator;

(xiv) an asphalt railroad crossing indicator;

(xv) an asphalt rutting indicator;

(xvi) an asphalt shoving indicator;

(xvii) an asphalt slippage cracking indicator;

(xviii) an asphalt swell indicator;

(ix) an asphalt weathering and raveling indicator;

(xx) a concrete buckling indicator;

(xxi) a concrete divided slab indicator;

(xxii) a concrete durability cracking indicator;

(xxiii) a concrete faulting indicator;

(xxiv) a concrete joint seal damage indicator;

(xxv) a concrete lane/shoulder drop off indicator;

(xxvi) a concrete linear cracking indicator;

(xxvii) a concrete large patching indicator;

(xxviii) a concrete small patching indicator;

(xxix) a concrete punchout indicator;

(xxx) a concrete railroad crossing indicator;

(xxxi) a concrete scaling/crazing indicator;

(xxxii) a concrete corner spalling indicator; and

(xxxiii) a concrete joint spalling indicator;

(b) determining costs involved with first repairing each roadway at a first point in time considering the associated condition indicators;

(c) determining costs involved with maintaining each roadway over a time interval considering the associated condition indicators where each roadway is first repaired at the first point in time;

(d) determining costs involved with first repairing each roadway at a second point in time considering the associated condition indicators, the first and second points in time being different points in time;

(e) determining costs involved with maintaining each roadway over the time interval considering the associated condition indicators where each roadway is first repaired at the second point in time;

(f) comparing the costs determined in step (b) with the costs determined in step (d);

(g) comparing the costs determined in step (c) with the costs determined in step (e);

(h) associating each respective roadway with one of a plurality of priority values, at least two said roadways having different said priority values, each respective priority value having its own set of primary acceptable levels of severity for each condition indicator;

(i) for each roadway, comparing its primary acceptable levels of severity for each condition indicator with its corresponding condition indicators; and

(j) determining that respective roadways having associated condition indicators beyond corresponding primary acceptable levels of severity are in need of repair.