 An international effort to develop improved road investment appraisal methods was undertaken by the British Overseas Development Administration, the Asian Development Bank. the Swedish National Road Administration, The Interamerican Federation of Cement Manufacturers, and the World Bank. This study was built upon the widely-used Highway Design and Maintenance Standards model HDM-III, extending and developing it with:
- Technical relationships updated and calibrated to the best current knowledge
- Additional technical capabilities for dealing with traffic congestion, non-motorized vehicles, concrete pavements, drainage, environmental and safety effects.
- Improved system design, software and applications framework for use at various levels of planning, budgeting, appraisal and management of roads.
The study considerably broadens the scope of such models beyond traditional project appraisal, providing a powerful system for the analysis of road management and investment alternatives. Emphasis in the study was on collating and applying existing knowledge, rather than undertaking major new empirical studies.
The end product of the study is a completely new software package and associated documentation which will serve as the primary tool for the analysis, planning, management and appraisal of road maintenance, improvements and investment decisions that will supersede HDM-III (1995 HDM System).
The World Road Association (PIARC) coordinates the availability, support and training opportunities for HDM-4 users, and future research and development activities. The principal HDM-4 information source is the HDM-4 Information Center home page managed by PIARC. To purchase HDM-4, contact the following HDM-4 distributor appointed by PIARC:
- Presses de l'ENPC.Please e-mail requests and orders.
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