Real-World Application of Non-Destructive Pavement Health Monitoring Sensors

Monitoring road pavement conditions is a fundamental activity in road network management. A well-structured pavement management system (PMS) is based on the continuous collection of data on pavement conditions throughout the road’s life cycle. In recent years, the integration of sensor technologies into road pavement for condition monitoring has attracted increasing attention. The collection of such data allows the construction of models that describe pavement deterioration as a function of traffic loads. This study presents an innovative solution (NDSPHM) for monitoring the structural condition of road pavements, which involves using acoustic sensors (microphones) to acquire the signature generated by passing vehicles, which propagates through the pavement structure. In more detail, this work focuses on the processing methodology applied to data collected on a highway under real traffic conditions.