MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR (M&R) GUIDELINES
4-1. General
(1) Surveying the road network (step one).
M&R requirements and priorities are highly re-
(2) Establishing a road condition index (step
lated to the URCI, since the URCI is determined
two).
by distress information. This chapter describes
(3) Setting maintenance priorities (step three).
how to do an unsurfaced road evaluation, how to
(4) Determining maintenance alternatives
determine feasible M&R alternatives, and how to (step four).
establish M&R priorities.
(5) Calculating actual maintenance costs (step
five).
4-2. Unsurfaced road evaluation procedure
b. Step one. Survey the road network. Survey all Evaluation is done section by section, since each
roads within the network and divide them into
section represents a unit of the unsurfaced road
branches, sections, and sample units as described
network that is uniform in structure and subjected in chapters 2 and 3. Branches are a single area,
to consistent traffic loadings. It is necessary to such as a road or parking lot. A section is a
comprehensively evaluate surface condition before
division of a branch with consistent characteristics feasible M&R alternatives can be rationally deter-of the following.
mined.
(1) Structure.
a. Overall condition. The URCI of an unsurfaced (2) Traffic.
road section describes the section’s overall condi-
(3) Construction history.
tion. In turn, the overall condition of the section (4) Road rank.
correlates highly with the needed level of M&R.
(5) Drainage and shoulders.
b. Variations of the URCI within a section. The (6) A sample unit, the smallest division, is
URCI can vary within a section, either randomly
generally a 100-foot-long (30-meter-long) segment
localized or systematically. When a URCI value of
of a section and is the area consistently surveyed a sample unit in the section is more than 10 points and used for determining the road condition. Ide-less than the sample unit average URCI value, a
ally, an inspector should conduct a “windshield localized random variation exists. This variation
inspection” of the entire road network once each should be considered when determining M&R re-season (four times a year), and a detailed inspec-quirements. Systematic variation occurs whenever
tion of the sample units annually. (NOTE: Divid-
a large, concentrated area of a section has a signif-ing the road network is a one-time requirement,
icantly different condition. For example, if traffic after which minor adjustments are made as
is channeled into a certain portion of a large park-needed.)
ing lot, that portion may show much more distress
c. Step two. Establish the unsurfaced road condi-or be in a poorer condition than the rest of the
tion index (URCI). Rate the sample unit with the
area. Whenever a significant amount of systematic
seven distresses and the severity level of low,
variability exists within a section, the section
medium, or high for each. The distresses are listed should be subdivided into two or more sections.
below and shown in figure 4-1.
c. Rate of deterioration. Both the long- and (1) 81-Improper cross section.
short-term rate of deterioration of each unsurfaced (2) 82-Inadequate roadside drainage.
road section should be checked. The long-term rate (3) 83-Corrugations.
is measured from the time of construction or time
(4) 84-Dust.
of last overall M&R (such as regarding).
(5) 85-Potholes.
d. Distress evaluation. Examination of the spe-
(6) 86-Ruts.
cific distress types, severities, and quantities
(7) 87-Loose aggregate.
present in a road section can help identify the
(8) The URCI is used to determine the extent
cause of surface deterioration, its condition, and and magnitude of road problems and the M&R
eventually its M&R requirements.
required.
d. Step three. Establish maintenance priorities.
4-3. Comprehensive maintenance program
Set priorities for maintenance by using figure 4-2.
a. Steps. Following are five steps used to estab-The maintenance priority is set by a combination
lish a comprehensive maintenance program for
of the URCI and the amount of traffic per day on
unsurfaced roads.
the road.
4-1
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Figure 4-1. Medium severity distresses (English units).
4-2
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Figure 4-1. Medium severity distresses (metric units).
(1) Category I road has more than 200 vehicles tional performance are usually corrected first. For per day (vpd).
example, medium- and high-severity bumps, corru-
(2) Category II has 100 to 199 vpd.
gations, and potholes would usually receive high
(3) Category III has 50 to 99 vpd.
priority.
(4) Category IV has 0 to 49 vpd.
(8) Priorities among sections requiring major
(5) Find the surveyed road’s URCI rating
M&R are a function of the overall section condi-number on the left side of figure 4-2. The lower tion, as reflected in the URCI, traffic, and manage-the URCl and the higher the traffic volume, the ment policies. For example, a decision might be
greater the priority. If the URCI rating is below made to repair all primary roads with a URCI of
the solid line for that traffic category, the priority less than 50, secondary roads with a URCI of less
is highest. All roads within the network can then
than 40, and parking lots with a URCI of less than be rated as low, medium, or high priority based
30. The above URCI limits are provided as an
upon road category, the budget, and local practice.
example. Local conditions at Army installations
Maintaining a road with a high URCI rating is
and commands will dictate what actual values to
less expensive than rebuilding a failed road.
use.
(6) The criteria for establishing priorities for
road sections where routine M&R is required are (9) The priority for maintenance can remain
different from those used for sections that need
flexible. Physical catastrophes such as floods or
major M&R.
severe storms or immediate safety defects demand
(7) Priorities for sections requiring routine
immediate repairs. The completion of previously
M&R are a function of existing individual distress started projects or the addition of outside funding types and severities. A single method is usually
can also affect the priorities.
applied for a given area, which may consist of
e. Step four. Determine maintenance alterna-many sections, rather than different M&R meth-
tives. In the process of selecting feasible alterna-ods for one section. Distresses that may have a
tives, one of the primary assumptions is that the
considerable negative effect on the section’s opera-strategy will be implemented within 2 years. The
4-3
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Figure 4-2. Maintenance priority graph
process of selecting feasible M&R alternatives is the limiting value, continuation of existing main-described below.
tenance policy is recommended unless review of
(1) Determine M&R strategy.
the distress data shows that the majority of dis-
(a) The purpose of this step is to identify the tress is caused by inadequate road strength or if
road sections that need comprehensive analysis.
the rate of surface deterioration is thought to be The data required for the identification are the
high, or both.
URCI, distress, road rank, road usage, traffic, and (c) If the M&R strategy decision is to con-management policy.
tinue existing maintenance policy, the information (b) Based on these data, a limiting URCI
in table 4-1 is used as a guide to select the
value is established for each type of road: e.g., 70
appropriate maintenance method. This table
for primary roads with traffic volume exceeding
presents feasible maintenance methods for each
200 vehicles per day. If a road has a URCI above
distress type at a given severity level.
4-4
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Table 4-1. Maintenance alternatives
Distress
Severity
cost
Description
code
code1
81-Improper cross section
L
B
Grade only.
M
B/C
Grade only/grade and add material (water or aggregate or both), and compact.
Bank curve.
Adjust transitions.
H
C Cut to base, add aggregate, shape, water, and compact.
82-Improper roadside drainage
L
B Clear ditches every 1-2 years.
M
A Clean out culverts.
B Reshape, construct, compact or flare out ditch.
H
C Install underdrain, larger culvert, ditch dam, rip rap, or geotextiles.
83-Corrugations
L
B
Grade only.
M
B/C
Grade only/grade and add material (water or aggregate or both), and compact.
H
C Cut to base, add aggregate, shape, water, and compact.
84-Dust stabilization
L
C Add water.
M
C Add stabilizer.
H
C Increase stabilizer use.
Cut to base, add stabilizer, water, and compact.
Cut to base, add aggregate and stabilizer, shape, water, and compact.
85-Potholes
L
B
Grade only.
M
B/C
Grade only/grade and add material (water, aggregate, or 50/50 mix of calcium chloride and crushed gravel), and compact.
H
C
Cut to base, add aggregate, shape, water, and compact.
86-Ruts
L
B
Grade only.
M
B/C
Grade only/grade, add material, and compact.
H
C
Cut to base, add aggregate, shape, water, and compact.
87-Loose aggregate
L
B
Grade only.
M
B/C
Grade only/grade, add material, and compact.
H
C
Cut to base, add aggregate, shape, water, and compact.
1Cost code guide: A = labor, overhead; B = labor, equipment, overhead, C = labor, equipment, materials, overhead.
(2) Determine feasible M&R alternatives
(f) A change in mission requires greater
based on the branch condition evaluation sum-
load-carrying capacity.
mary (see DA Form 5155-R in TM 5-623).
(g) Table 4-1 lists most of the available (a) The purpose of this step is to determine overall repair procedures for unsurfaced roads.
whether alternatives other than existing mainte-
(h) All feasible alternatives should be iden-nance policy should be considered (e.g., paving or tified based on a careful analysis of the section
sealing), and, if so, what specific feasible alterna-evaluation summary (see DA Form 5156-R in TM
tives to consider. This is done by analyzing data
5-623). Life-cycle cost analysis of the feasible
for the section under consideration. Based on this alternatives will help rank the alternatives based analysis, existing maintenance would usually be
on cost, and thus provide necessary information for recommended except when one or more of the
selecting a cost-effective M&R alternative.
following conditions exists.
(3) Determine maintenance alternatives. Do
this by looking up the distress type and the
(b) Long- or short-term rate of road deterio-severity code in table 4-1.
ration is high.
(a) The problem or distress is listed in the (c) Load-carrying capacity is deficient.
left hand column. It is followed by the severity (d) Load-associated distress accounts for a level. Simply locate the applicable distress and majority of the distress deduct value.
severity level and follow it across the page to the (e) Surface roughness is rated major.
description column. The maintenance alternatives 4 - 5
TM 5-626
are given there. The cost guide is useful in
(b) For example, use Potholes entry of table determining the amount of labor, material or
4-1. Low severity- Grade only-cost code B indi-equipment needed for each alternative. A descrip-
cates labor, equipment, and overhead costs are
tion of costs involved in each code is listed at the involved:
bottom of the table.
Distress
Severity
c o s t
Description
code
code
85-Potholes
L
B
Grade only.
M
B/C
Grade only/grade and add material (water, aggregate, or 50/50 mix of calcium chloride and crushed gravel), and compact.
H
C
Cut to base, add aggregate, shape, water, and compact.
(c) It is important to recognize that drain-funds available. Show the estimated cost to up-
age problems are usually the basic cause of a
grade that road. By subtracting the amount
number of distresses. Corrugations, potholes and
needed from the amount available, you can easily
ruts, while corrected by grading, may have been
see the balance remaining. That balance now created because a road does not drain properly.
becomes the total available for the next road. Put Therefore, adequate drainage both on, and beside,
that amount for the second road. Put in the
the road must be addressed to eliminate or de-
estimated cost to repair the second road and
crease future distresses and cut down on the
subtract again. The new balance is shown as the
amount of grading needed to properly maintain a
available funds for the third road. Repeat this
road. Adequate drainage is always necessary.
process until all the available funds are used.
f. Step five. Calculate actual maintenance costs.
When the balance is at $0.00, all required mainte-
A yearly maintenance record should be completed.
nance that is currently unfunded is easily seen.
An example format is given in figure 4-3. List all This enables allocation of money more effectively
roads by priority with the highest priority first, and, if necessary, justification of requests for addi-lowest last. For road 1 (greatest priority) show total tional funds.
Total Funds
Estimated
Available for
cost to
Road
Maintenance
Upgrade Road
Balance
1.
Eaton Road
$ 50,000
$ 2,500
$ 47,500
2.
Beaucham Road
47,500
16,500
31,000
3.
Gerard Road
31,000
4,000
27,000
4.
Lebraun Lane
27,000
20,000
7,000
5.
Roberts Road
7,000
12,000
-5,000
6.
Glenn Road
0
9,000
Unfunded
7.
Leland Lane
0
10,000
Unfunded
Figure 4-3. Sample yearly maintenance record.
4-6
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