Development of a road asset management system in kazakhstan

The paper describes the development of a custom Road Asset Management System (RAMS), that will take care of about 23’500 km of roads that make the Kazakhstan main network of roads (Republican roads), that also includes 6 international corridors. The system has two main roles, (1) organizing the asset information (road cadaster or “road passport” according to the Kazakh standard) in a modern digital database and (2) managing the maintenance of the network, optimizing through economic analysis the budget allocation for maintenance works. The system development takes also care of organizing the data collection procedures for both roles, that will be done using automated devices installed on mobile laboratories. The system will also use data from other sources, such as the growing Intelligent Transport System (ITS) equipment (mainly weather stations, cameras, Weigh In Motion (WIM) devices and traffic counters for the purposes of this system). The system is organized as a web based service and it is accessible through any internet connected device, offering the operators the possibility to browse the database or update it in any place with an internet connection available. One of the key element of the system is its ability to make analysis and forecasts: the system is developed to measure periodically condition data across all the network, to have a clear understanding and control on the status of the roads. This module uses Highway Development and Management Model (HDM-4) to make pavement maintenance analysis and optimization of resources. The system will start its operation with the first complete data collection, that will be calibrated over the years by the repetition of condition analysis, allowing to improve reliability and quality of analysis forecasts. The system will also serve for other analysis, such as the control of Asset Value, analysis on the effect of new road projects over the network.