Implementation of automatic crack evaluation using Crack Fundamental Element

Crack evaluation is a vital component in the pavement condition survey. However, researchers have had difficulty automatically mimicking the in-field evaluation practice to achieve a fully automated pavement crack evaluation due to the diversity of real-world crack patterns and the complexity of crack definitions in an agency´s survey protocol. The multi-scale crack analysis model based on a Crack Fundamental Element is developed to topologically represent complex crack patterns and provide systematic crack properties to support crack classification. Utilizing this model, this study implements an automatic crack classification and quantification method for use on the state highways in Georgia, United States. Both image-based validation and field validation are conducted with the pavement experts from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) on State Route 236 in Atlanta, and the proposed method achieves a classification accuracy of 92.2% for load cracking and 98.1% for B/T cracking.