Application of Analytic Hierarchy Process to Select Project Scope for Videologging and Pavement Condition Data Collection

The Virginia Department of Transportation uses a vendor that deploys specialized equipment to gather and assemble information about the condition of pavements for use in making budget estimates and resource allocation decisions. This work is commonly known as highway videologging and delivers a sequence of forward-facing, right-of-way video images. These images provide a driver's-eye view of the roadway and may be useful for other applications in the agency. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and Expert Choice decision support software were used to structure decision making and derive the most preferred project scope (best amount of mileage) for videologging and pavement condition data collection. The transportation department used this multicriteria decision-making method for a real-world decision-making problem. In a large organization experiencing rapid change and information overload, AHP provides a process to (a) decompose a complex problem with many objectives and alternatives, (b) show sensitivity analysis to test the robustness of alternative solutions, (c) facilitate communication and consensus building; and (d) document the decision process. The results of this model have been used to justify the agency's budget for data collection in 2007 and beyond.