Measuring the performance of strategic indicators in the diagnosis of urban pavements

Promoting best practices for constructing and maintaining flexible pavements has been a major challenge for Brazilian federal and state administrations. Proper conservation of urban roads supports economic and social growth. Public administration is developing tools for inspecting flexible pavements, prioritizing user safety and well-being. Advances show concern with resource optimization in inspection processes and asphalt deterioration repair. However, there is a gap between available inspection tools and technology usage, limiting accurate measurement of pavement deterioration over time. This study presents a flexible pavement inspection methodology, identifying pathologies using geographic information systems. The approach, based on decision theory and multi-criteria analysis (AHP), calculates the Pathological Deterioration Index (PDI). Fifteen deterioration pathologies were analyzed, focusing on well-being, functionality, and structure. Ten urban roads in Foz de Iguazú, Brazil, were assessed using unmanned vehicles. The Olympic Rafagnin, Florianopolis, and Araucaria avenues showed high deterioration indices, providing technical guidelines for targeted road maintenance.