A team of researchers from IIT Hyderabad have developed a system that accurately predicts pavement performance and help in constructing long-lasting roads. The system can help in reducing the number of road accidents with the reliability assessment of roads.

The team include researchers from the department of civil engineering, an associate professor B Munawar Basha and research scholar PRT Pranav. The team used the Reliability-Based Design Optimisation (RBDO) modelling technique that combines optimisation with reliability assessment of structures. RBDO predicts the safety of pavements and assesses them against fatigue and rut, reports Times of India.

Speaking on the model, Sireesh Saride, Professor Civil Engineering Department, said: “Pavements are complex layered structures influenced by many factors such as material properties, environment and climatic conditions, traffic volume, subgrade soil profile, construction practices and pavement ageing process.”

The pavement system contains four layers, subgrade, granular subbase, base and bituminous layers. RBDO study shows that the thickness of the bituminous layer and the base layer are very crucial for the durability.

India has the highest network of roads only after the United States covering a total length of 4,320,000 Kilometres.