Applying complex networks to pavement management systems in the Mexican roadway

The purpose of the analysis is to quantify large-scale statistical properties of complex networks at the Mexican road system in the year of 2005 in order to use them into the pavement management system (PMS), specifically identifying and classifying types of pavement networks. The application of such properties reveals important information about the structure of the roadway resulting in an effective database and a better rational decision about the best budgeting allocation. The analysis presents three groups of measures that describe statistical characteristics of complex networks related to topological and geometric variations. The first group covers classic measures related to graph theory, the second group emphasizes the importance of heterogeneity in road segments, and the third group computes connectivity levels and displays vector maps related to geometry patterns. The results show an effective way to define pavement networks and identify Maintenance and Repair (M&R) priorities. Therefore, the application of complex networks to the PMS can help private and public agencies to reduce time and avoid costly errors related to maintain and manage pavement networks.