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This Paper is the result of a research project on a pavement management system that was performed by the Transportation Division of Iran University of Science and Technology. Information used in the project was gathered from 20 zones of the Tehran Municipality. Any maintenance and repair system for roads has a number of general and coordinated activities in conjunction with programming, designing, construction, Maintenance, Evaluation, and research on road pavement. Prediction of pavement condition is one of the most important parts of, such system. Prediction models have their application at the network level as well as project level activities. At the network level it is used in predicting the condition for budget programming. While in project level it is used in economical analysis. Many factors have been used in determination of pavement condition. These factors are the design life of the pavement, loading, climatic condition, and the type of road. To be able to plan for future improvements we need to predict the future condition of the pavement. In this paper, factors affecting the prediction of pavement condition are discussed. A model is developed exclusively for Tehran based on the distress data collected.

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To properly plan for construction, repair, maintenance, and reconstruction of highways the minimum acceptable roadway condition is needed information. This, along with other pavement management tools, will help select the most desirable roadway alternatives. In this research the minimum acceptable conditions are developed based on an opinion survey of non-technical but high-level decision makers. Roadway roughness, expressed as international roughness index (IRI), is used as the measurement criteria. Because IRI is a widely known, acceptable, and a uniformly measurable index, it is used for the purpose of this research. The minimum IRI values developed here will help managers, planners, and engineers in prioritizing their plans and projects. Iran has a central planning system, hence having a minimum acceptable IRI will help in producing homogeneity in decision making. A questionnaire is sent to top level and influential managementlevel officials who have a decisive input in highway matters. The officials are asked to choose the minimum acceptable service level of different types of roadways and classifications. Naturally, roadways with higher levels of importance would require higher service levels. The answers to the survey questionnaires are investigated to determine a preferred minimum acceptable roadway condition. The IRI is computed using a mechanical device enabling a more uniform data collection. The IRI was first proposed by The World Bank as a standard roughness statistic. Extensive research has proven that the IRI can be related to pavement condition. The result of the opinion survey is investigated to determine the minimum levels acceptable for each category. The responses show distinct preference patterns for most of the roadway types. Survey results are investigated by plotting and analyzing them. Based on road user’s perception of roadway condition using guidelines from AASHTO, the Corp of Engineers, and related research work. The appropriate IRI limits and ranges are determined for Iran’s highways. These values are adjusted to obtain final values for Iran. The result, shown in a table, gives upper and lower IRI values accepted and recommended for Iran’s highways. The result of this research work is specifically useful in developing specifications for new pavement design, accepting new pavement from contractors, pavement management, highway planning, and in roadway life cycle cost analysis decision making. The results are subject to refinement over time.

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The available methods for predicting mechanical characteristics of pavement layers are categorized into two general groups, Destructive and Non-destructive. In destructive method, using coring and pavement subgrade and performing necessary experiments on them, the quantities of layers properties will be identified. In Non-destructive method, the attained deflection is measured by applying the loading on pavement surface using equipments such as FWD which charges the impact dynamic load, and the mechanical characteristics of pavement layers are determined using back calculations. The procedure of conducting these calculations is that by knowing the thickness of the pavement layers and assuming the initial amounts for mechanical characteristics of the layer, the attained deflection at the desired points on the pavement surface will be calculated. Then, new figures are assumed for the characteristics of layers in a reattempt and calculations are repeated again. This trial and error is continued until the produced basin deformations from the calculations with true value, differs in an acceptable range. Using this method may have no accurate and single answer, since the various compositions of layers characteristics can produce similar deformations in different points of pavement surface. In this article, using an innovative method, a measurement is taken in constructing and introducing a mathematical model for determining the elastic module of surface layer using deflections attained from FWD loading equipment. The procedure is such that by using dynamic analysis software of finite elements like ABAQUS and ANSYS, the deformation of corresponding points on the surface of the pavement will be attained by FWD loading equipment. This analysis will be performed on a number of pavements with different thicknesses and different layers properties. The susceptibility analysis of different points deformations show, which will be performed as a result of the change of properties and layers thicknesses. Using this artificial data base as well as deflection basin parameters (DBP), a measurement will be taken toward constructing a regression model for determination of asphalt layer model, i.e. Eac =f(DBP) function shall be attained. To achieve the maximum correlation coefficient, an attempt is made to use the parameters of deformations basin which has the most susceptibility in changing asphalt layer module.

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Magnetic levitation (maglev) is amongst the most advanced technologies that are available to the transportation industries. It

has already been noticed by decision makers in many countries around the globe. Contrary to such high levels of interest, there

are no practical algorithms available to the engineers and/or managers to assist them in analyzing economics of the maglev

systems. Therefore, it has been the purpose of this research to find appropriate answers to such vital questions and also investigate

feasibility for practical use of maglev technology in rapid transit systems. The life cycle costs (LCC) for the maglev system

including the cost of initiating such projects are included in this survey and are evaluated. To serve the purpose, an algorithm is

presented that facilitates the technical and economical analyses of maglev systems. The proposal for a long distance maglev

system, Mashhad-Tehran (M-T), is used as a case study by using the proposed algorithm. Moreover, the cost of establishing and

operating M-T project is estimated by two other different approaches. These include the already established mathematically based

cost estimating method, and the cost estimations based on the international norms and standards. These standards are based on

statistical (or provided) data. Such cost estimations assist verification of the proposed algorithm. Comparisons between outcomes

of the three methods prove close agreement for the cost estimation by all of them. It is concluded that the proposed algorithm for

implementation and operation of maglev route is practical.