To ensure that a road is correctly maintained, regular inspection is required to identify problem, or potential problem, areas. Various techniques can be employed for pavement inspection, including a regular inspection schedule based on the traffic volume, axle weights, and pavement material used. Alternatively, a road condition rating system (RCRS) can be used. These tools use rating indices to quantify the road pavement condition.
9.3.1 Inspections
Roads can be inspected regularly, or after a storm or an extended wet period. The results from these surveys should be used to develop a maintenance plan. Features which should be noted during an inspection include:
Pavement surfaces
- Flat crown
- Depressions
- Potholes
- Soft spots
- Shoving
- Slippery surfaces.
Unsealed shoulder surfaces
- Ruts
- Potholes
- Soft spots
- Low and high shoulders
- Scouring.
Grassed shoulder surfaces
- Build up
- Soft spots
- Poor slope
- Ruts
- Debris
- Height of grass.
Water channels
- Debris build up
- Blockages
- Scour
- Vegetation growth
- Culvert entrance debris accumulation
- Bridge waterway erosion or accumulation of debris.
Other
- Signage. This must comply with the Approved Code of Practice for Safety and Health in Forest Operations (WorkSafe)
- Excessive dust
- Encroaching vegetation
- Bridge structure damage, cracking, rotting or corrosion.
In wet conditions the following features become more obvious:
- Ponding – on the road surface and in the ditches
- Surface flooding
- Blockages
- Leaking flumes
- Leaking culvert joins
- Seepage up through the pavement
- Water runoff across the road instead of into the ditch.