A Multi-Criteria Evaluation of Information and Communication Technology-Based Techniques for Road Condition Reporting

Abstract

Road infrastructure is a critical component of socio-economic development, enabling the movement of people, goods, and services. However, the high cost of constructing new roads has shifted focus toward maintaining existing infrastructure, necessitating efficient monitoring and reporting systems. The advent of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has revolutionised road fault monitoring by transforming traditional monitoring approaches through real-time data acquisition and enhanced public engagement. This study adopts a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) approach to evaluate and compare six road monitoring techniques based on five key performance criteria: cost-effectiveness, accuracy, scalability, accessibility, and community engagement. The criteria were selected for relevance to the practical deployment and impact of ICT-based road monitoring solutions in diverse environments. Each technique was assessed and assigned a score on a 5-point Likert-type scale, where 1 indicates the lowest performance and 5 the highest. The results were visualised using a radar chart created with Python’s Matplotlib library. Findings suggest that while GIS and image-based methods offer high accuracy, they require specialised expertise and infrastructure. Call-based and website-based methods, though accessible, suffer from scalability and accuracy limitations. Accelerometer-based techniques provide automated fault detection but are constrained by hardware dependencies. Mobile crowdsourcing (MCS) stands out as the most effective approach due to its affordability, accuracy, scalability, and community-driven nature. However, MCS relies on internet access and may face challenges with data validation.