Value frameworks as federated digital platforms for digitalised road infrastructure

Digital transformation of road infrastructure is accelerating, yet efforts remain fragmented by inconsistent data governance, technological silos, and weak alignment between digital investment and value creation. Existing approaches emphasise either technical integration or high-level strategy, leaving no structured pathway linking data quality, federated interoperability, and outcomes across the lifecycle. This study develops and expert-validates a Federated Digital Platform Value Framework (FDPVF) for digitalised road infrastructure. The framework introduces a closed-loop data-to-value hierarchy integrating two dimensions: Digital Asset Quality (DAQ), which operationalises data-quality constructs for federated ecosystems, and Technology-Enabled Metrics (TEM), which translate validated data into indicators of safety, efficiency, resilience, sustainability, and collaboration. A mixed-method approach combined literature synthesis with expert evaluation from industry, government, and academia, analysed descriptively and interpretively. Findings show strong acceptance of the FDPVF, highlighting its potential to strengthen federated interoperability, align data governance with performance metrics, and support cross-sector collaboration. Neutral responses reflect implementation uncertainty rather than disagreement, signalling a need for clearer operational guidance. Contributions: (1) a socio-technical value framework integrating economic, public, and data value within federated architecture; (2) a governance-aware diagnostic assessing digital asset quality and value realisation; and (3) actionable recommendations for pilot deployment, AI integration, and application in developing-country contexts.