Smart embedded technologies and materials for enhanced pavement management

The integration of smart technologies is set to revolutionize pavement data collection and analysis, leading to more efficient decision-making in Pavement Management Systems (PMS). Smart pavements, featuring embedded sensors, offer continuous streams of high-quality real-time data, enhancing the PMS data analysis process. This paper provides a detailed examination of these embedded smart systems, discussing their technologies, applications, and potential impacts on pavement management. The study highlights the role of smart materials in pavement engineering, offering self-sensing, self-healing, and energy-harvesting capabilities. It investigates sensor technologies for monitoring pavement conditions, focusing on both on-surface and below-surface sensors for comprehensive data collection. Future research directions emphasize advanced data management systems, sensor durability enhancement, economic modeling, standardization efforts, energy-efficient technologies, and pilot programs for real-world testing. This research provides insights into smart pavement advancements and challenges, paving the way for improved road infrastructure efficiency and sustainability.