The Study of HDM-4 Applied in Taiwan Area National Freeway Maintenance and Management

Abstract

Taiwan Highway System experiences successively investment of few decades in government. After the first national highway-Chung Shan, the Second national highway, twelve west to east freeway and western seaside freeway go to operation, the road network is gradually complete. The road engineering changes the style from new construction to maintenance management. In recent years, because the government public construction budget reduce year by year, so road agencies should be emphasizing facilities management and enhancing construction performance that keeping highway transits service quality with the constraints of budget limitations. World Bank carries on a series of project researches to the road in 1968 and develops the related evaluation module. In HDM-4, it provides the extensive module application and explicit method in the stages such as planning, programming, preparation and operation etc. It provides a reference that road agencies carry on related decision. HDM-4 provide user to adjusting with different region parameter such as weather, environment...etc. So this tool can be applicable to more widespread region. When the related pavement maintenance systems are not satisfactory, how to use the international identify tool help Taiwans highway maintenance management. It is very interesting and workable research. We use HDM-4 to collect and analyze Guan-Xi regions Highway No.3 network data, traffic characteristic and cost related information. Through this knowledge, we can adjust the HDM-4s parameter to suit Taiwans condition. Besides, we review technical literature and experts experience to determine on maintenance alternates. We use adjusted mode with real highway budget to determine the threshold of routine and period maintenance. Considering maintenance cost, user cost and highway economy to decide suitable threshold. Finally, base on the best maintenance strategies to explain the relation between maintenance budget and performance. Base on this result, we can determine the budget allotting criteria to reach the biggest economy benefit of the resource.