The development of a cloud-based information system for gravel road maintenance

Journal article, 2022

The gravel road network is an essential function for rural residents and entrepreneurs. Traditional maintenance of gravel roads is well-functioning but
provides a relatively high maintenance cost per unit length of the road. In addition, every maintenance action and extraction and transport of new gravel
contribute to increased climate impact and resource depletion. Today, maintenance planning is carried out periodically based on the maintenance history,
which also is reflected in the economic models and procurement methods. Current maintenance plans may be enhanced and will not be a reliable basis in
the future, for instance due to climate change. Instead, real needs and conditions must be given greater consideration. Today, appropriate maintenance
management systems are lacking, e.g., to be able to evaluate maintenance deficiencies, prioritize objects and choose the appropriate maintenance action. Moreover, the knowledge available at specific stakeholders is not shared with other actors. In this paper, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) system for gravel road maintenance is proposed in the form of a cloud-based system covering the information needs of stakeholders in the gravel road maintenance ecosystem. Requirement specifications are given for the subsystems intended for the maintenance executioner and the maintenance planner. The specifications are based on workshops and interviews conducted with stakeholders, where requirements were acquired using techniques such as User stories, Use case scenarios, and mock-up prototypes. System examples corresponding to the requirements specifications are also given.