109 Technical Terms
Infrastructure
Terminology
The language of AI-powered road assessment. Distress types, scoring methods, standards, and platform features explained — each term has its own page.
Glossary terms
Platform
AADT
Annual Average Daily Traffic. The average number of vehicles using a road segment per day over a year. Helm can slice and compare the network by AADT for capital-planning analysis.
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Standards
AASHTO
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Develops standards, specifications, and guidelines for highway design and maintenance.
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Standards
AASHTO M328
Equipment specification for inertial profilers used to collect IRI data for federal HPMS reporting. SSI profiler hardware used in the Road Triage Enterprise Tier is certified to AASHTO M328, ensuring IRI measurements meet federal requirements.
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Standards
AASHTO R 55
Standard Practice for Quantifying Cracks in Asphalt Pavement Surfaces. Defines crack severity classification by measured width (Low below 6mm, Medium 6-19mm, High above 19mm) and methods for computing crack density and extent. Road Triage applies R 55 width-based severity classification using proprietary image analysis within the Perception Engine to measure actual crack width in millimeters.
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Federal Data
ACS
American Community Survey. The U.S. Census Bureau survey providing population, income, and commuting data. Helm uses ACS data for equity analysis alongside road condition.
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Assets
ADA Compliance
Americans with Disabilities Act compliance for roadway infrastructure including ramps, curb cuts, tactile warnings, and accessible parking elements.
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Technology
AI
Artificial Intelligence. Computer systems that perform tasks normally requiring human judgment. Road Triage uses AI to detect, classify, and measure pavement distress, signs, markings, and assets from roadway imagery.
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Technology
API
Application Programming Interface. A defined way for software systems to exchange data. Road Triage uses APIs to connect collection hardware, integrated services, and partner platforms.
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Standards
ASTM D6433
Standard Practice for Roads and Parking Lots Pavement Condition Index Surveys. The foundational standard for pavement condition assessment, defining 19 distress types, severity classification criteria, deduct value curves, and the PCI scoring procedure. Road Triage implements all 19 distress types, severity thresholds, deduct curves, and the corrected deduct value (CDV) procedure as the core of RT-PCI scoring and the distress framework used across all five scoring methodologies.
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Standards
ASTM E1778
Standard Terminology Relating to Pavement Distress. The official ASTM vocabulary standard defining terminology and classification labels for all pavement distress types. Road Triage follows E1778 terminology for all distress classification throughout the pipeline — from detection through scoring and delivery — ensuring distress names match terms recognized by transportation agencies nationwide.
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Standards
ASTM E3303
Standard Practice for Generating Pavement Surface Cracking Indices from Digital Images. Establishes methods for computing cracking condition indices directly from pavement imagery. Road Triage implements E3303 as the basis of RT-CCI (Cracking Condition Index), computing aperture-weighted crack indices from AI-powered segmentation applied to collected imagery.
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Standards
ASTM E950
Standard Test Method for Measuring the Longitudinal Profile of Traveled Surfaces with an Accelerometer-Established Inertial Profiling Reference. Used with SSI profiler hardware in the Enterprise Tier for FHWA-certified IRI (International Roughness Index) measurement. Ensures profiler data meets federal reporting requirements.
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Distress
Alligator Cracking
Interconnected cracks forming a pattern resembling alligator skin. Indicates structural failure of the pavement, often caused by repeated traffic loading on weakened base layers. Measured in square feet.
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Distress
Bleeding
A film of bituminous material on the pavement surface that creates a shiny, glass-like, reflecting surface. Usually caused by excess asphalt in the mix or low air void content. Measured in square feet.
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Distress
Block Cracking
Interconnected cracks that divide the pavement into approximately rectangular pieces. Caused primarily by shrinkage of the asphalt concrete due to daily temperature cycling. Measured in square feet.
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Distress
Bumps and Sags
Small, localized upward or downward displacements of the pavement surface. Can be caused by frost heave, infiltration of material under the surface, or buckling. Measured in linear feet.
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Scoring
CCI
Cracking Condition Index (RT-CCI). A 0-100 score built primarily on ASTM E3303, computing aperture-weighted cracking indices from digital imagery. Uses AASHTO R 55 width-based severity classification (Low below 6mm, Medium 6-19mm, High above 19mm). Isolates crack-specific condition from the full distress set. Applied to both asphalt and concrete.
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Scoring
CDV
Corrected Deduct Value. An iterative correction procedure used in PCI calculation that accounts for the compounding effect of multiple distresses on a single pavement section.
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Technology
CNN
Convolutional Neural Network. A type of neural network specialized for image analysis — it scans an image for visual features such as edges, textures, and shapes. CNNs are a core building block of the Road Triage computer vision pipeline.
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Export
CSV
Comma-Separated Values. A plain-text spreadsheet format readable by Excel and virtually every data tool. A standard Road Triage export option.
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Assets
Catch Basin
A drainage structure designed to collect stormwater runoff. Detected and inventoried as part of Road Triage roadway asset assessment.
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Platform
Change Detection
Automated comparison between assessment cycles that identifies segments where conditions improved, held steady, or declined. Generates heatmaps for visualization.
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Treatment
Chip Seal
A pavement preservation treatment applying asphalt binder and aggregate to the surface. Road Triage condition data supports chip-seal candidate selection.
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Technology
Computer Vision
A field of artificial intelligence that enables computers to interpret and understand visual information from images. Road Triage uses computer vision within the Perception Engine to automatically detect and classify pavement distresses, signs, markings, and assets from road imagery.
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Technology
Computer Vision Pipeline
A sequence of machine-learning models that process raw imagery into classified, measured output. The Road Triage Perception Engine is a computer vision pipeline optimized for pavement distress.
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Distress
Corrugation
A series of closely spaced ridges and valleys occurring at fairly regular intervals, usually less than 3 meters apart. Caused by traffic action combined with an unstable pavement surface. Measured in square feet.
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Treatment
Crack Sealing
A preventive maintenance treatment that fills pavement cracks with sealant to prevent water intrusion. Road Triage identifies cracks at the severity threshold where sealing is effective.
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Federal Data
DOT
Department of Transportation. The federal (USDOT) or state agency responsible for transportation infrastructure. Helm overlays federal and state DOT data feeds on the same map as your assessment data.
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Export
DXF
Drawing Exchange Format. A CAD data format used by AutoCAD and other design software. Road Triage can export geometry as DXF for engineering workflows.
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Equipment
Data Collection Kit
The hardware package for Road Triage data collection. Includes a configured smartphone in kiosk mode with a vehicle mount. One kit serves approximately 100 centerline miles.
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Equipment
Datalogger Kit
The Road Triage data collection hardware package. Includes a pre-configured Google Pixel smartphone in locked kiosk mode with a vehicle mount. Approximately one kit per 100 centerline miles. Contact Road Triage for pricing.
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Scoring
Deduct Value
In PCI calculation, the point reduction assigned to each distress based on type, severity, and density. Road Triage computes deduct values automatically using ASTM D6433 curves.
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Treatment
Deferred Maintenance
The accumulated cost of postponed pavement repairs. Growing deferred maintenance backlogs are why municipalities need frequent, low-cost assessment — Road Triage helps close the data gap.
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Distress
Depression
Localized pavement surface areas with elevations slightly lower than surrounding pavement. Can cause hydroplaning when filled with water. Measured in square feet.
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Standards
EPSG
A registry of coordinate reference system codes (originally the European Petroleum Survey Group). EPSG codes identify exactly which map projection a dataset uses; Road Triage data is published with explicit EPSG references.
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Distress
Edge Cracking
Crescent-shaped cracks or fairly continuous cracks that intersect the pavement edge. Usually within 0.3 to 0.5 meters of the pavement edge. Measured in linear feet.
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Distress
Edge Drop-Off
A drop in elevation between the paved lane and the shoulder, creating a safety hazard. Road Triage measures edge drop-off magnitude from imagery.
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Federal Data
Every Day Counts
FHWA innovation deployment program accelerating proven transportation technologies. Road Triage aligns with EDC priorities around infrastructure data and AI.
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Platform
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions. A resource page answering common questions about Road Triage assessments, technology, cost, and data privacy.
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Federal Data
FARS
Fatality Analysis Reporting System. FHWA/NHTSA crash records overlaid in the Helm for safety corridor analysis alongside Road Triage assessment data.
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Federal Data
FEMA
Federal Emergency Management Agency. The federal agency that publishes flood-zone and disaster data. Helm overlays FEMA flood zones so agencies can identify roads and assets in flood-prone areas.
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Standards
FHWA
Federal Highway Administration. The federal agency responsible for highway infrastructure standards. Road Triage aligns with FHWA Road to Zero and Every Day Counts programs.
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Standards
FHWA HPMS
Federal Highway Administration Highway Performance Monitoring System. Requires state DOTs to report IRI, cracking percentage, rutting depth, and faulting for NHS roads. Road Triage delivers the cracking percentage metric via smartphone collection. With SSI profiler hardware (Enterprise Tier), all four HPMS metrics are captured from a single survey pass.
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Distress
Fatigue Cracking
Interconnected cracking pattern resembling alligator skin, caused by repeated traffic loading on structurally deficient pavement. Also called alligator cracking. Detected at Low, Medium, and High severity per ASTM D6433.
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Platform
Functional Classification
The FHWA system categorizing roads by service role (interstate, arterial, collector, local). Used to weight maintenance priorities; Road Triage exports respect functional classification.
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Technology
GIS
Geographic Information System — software for storing, analyzing, and visualizing geospatial data. Road Triage data exports directly into ESRI, QGIS, and other GIS platforms.
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Technology
GPS
Global Positioning System. A satellite-based system that provides location coordinates. Every Road Triage distress and asset record is GPS-tagged so it can be placed on the map.
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Export
GeoJSON
An open standard format for encoding geographic data structures using JSON. One of 13+ export formats supported by the Road Triage Helm.
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Export
GeoPackage
An open, standards-based geospatial file format (an OGC standard) that stores vector and tabular data in a single file. A Road Triage export option for GIS platforms.
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Technology
Georeferencing
Tagging data with geographic coordinates so it can be mapped. Every Road Triage distress and asset record is georeferenced via GPS-synchronized imagery.
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Assets
Guardrail
Metal barrier systems along roadways detected by Road Triage including end treatments and damage tracking with length measurements.
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Federal Data
HPMS
Highway Performance Monitoring System. Federal dataset providing pavement conditions (IRI), traffic volume (AADT), and functional classification. Overlaid in the Helm for context.
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Export
HTML
HyperText Markup Language. The standard format for web pages. Road Triage can export reports as self-contained HTML files for easy sharing.
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Platform
Helm
The Road Triage web-based mapping and analytics dashboard. Features 11+ map visualization types, AI-powered queries, change detection, treatment planning, and 13+ export formats.
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Scoring
IRI
International Roughness Index. A standardized measure of road surface roughness in inches/mile. Available through Road Triage Enterprise Tier with SSI profiler integration (FHWA-certified).
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Equipment
Inertial Profiler
A vehicle-mounted device that measures road surface roughness (IRI) using accelerometers and lasers. Road Triage Enterprise integrates with SSI inertial profilers for FHWA-certified IRI data.
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Export
JSON
JavaScript Object Notation. A lightweight, structured data format widely used for data exchange. Road Triage exports data as JSON; see also GeoJSON.
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Export
JSONL
JSON Lines. A format storing one JSON record per line, convenient for large datasets and streaming. Available as a Road Triage export format.
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Distress
Joint Reflection Cracking
Cracks in a flexible overlay of a rigid pavement that reflect the joint pattern of the underlying concrete. Measured in linear feet.
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Export
KML
Keyhole Markup Language. A geographic data format used by Google Earth and many GIS tools. Road Triage exports assessment data as KML for mapping.
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Platform
KPI
Key Performance Indicator. A headline metric that summarizes performance at a glance. Helm surfaces network KPIs — segment counts, lane miles, average score, distresses found — at the top of its Statistics view.
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Equipment
Kiosk Mode
A locked device configuration that restricts the smartphone to the Road Triage data collection application only. Prevents unauthorized use and ensures consistent data capture.
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Assessment
Lane Line Condition
The visibility and integrity of pavement markings. Road Triage assesses lane-line condition as part of a comprehensive roadway evaluation alongside pavement distress.
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Equipment
LiDAR
Light Detection and Ranging — a survey technology using laser pulses to generate dense 3D point clouds. LiDAR is a high-precision but high-cost alternative to Road Triage's image-based approach.
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Distress
Longitudinal and Transverse Cracking
Cracks running parallel (longitudinal) or perpendicular (transverse) to the pavement centerline. Often caused by thermal contraction or poor joint construction. Measured in linear feet.
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Standards
MUTCD
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The federal standard governing traffic signs, signals, and pavement markings. Road Triage sign detection aligns with MUTCD categories, and marking assessments reference MUTCD visibility and reflectivity minimums.
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Treatment
Mill and Overlay
A resurfacing treatment that grinds (mills) the deteriorated pavement surface and replaces it with a new asphalt layer. Typically triggered when PCI or PASER scores fall into the fair/poor range.
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Technology
Multi-Frame Measurement
Road Triage does not rely on a single image to assess pavement distress. The Perception Engine observes every distress across multiple frames as the survey vehicle passes — the same crack may appear in 5 to 15 consecutive images from varying distances and angles. This multi-observation approach builds a measurement profile for each distress instance, cross-validates measurements between frames, and identifies the optimal observation distance for the most reliable results. Distress dimensions (length, width, area) are derived from pixel-precise AI segmentation masks with AI-powered camera calibration. Crack widths are classified into Low, Medium, and High severity per ASTM D6433 and AASHTO R 55. Every measurement carries an internal confidence score — uncertain classifications are flagged for quality review rather than guessed.
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Federal Data
NBI
National Bridge Inventory. FHWA bridge inventory data overlaid in the Helm to view bridges in context of surrounding road network conditions.
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Federal Data
NHTSA
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The federal agency that maintains national crash records. Helm can display FHWA / NHTSA crash locations against signs, markings, and pavement.
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Federal Data
NOAA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The federal agency that publishes climate, precipitation, and severe-weather data. Helm correlates NOAA climate data with distress progression.
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Assessment
Network-Level Assessment
A comprehensive pavement evaluation covering an entire road network to prioritize funding and maintenance. Produces aggregate condition scores for the whole system rather than individual segments.
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Technology
Neural Network
A machine-learning model loosely inspired by the brain, built from layers of interconnected nodes that learn patterns from labeled examples. Road Triage uses neural networks to recognize and measure pavement distress, signs, markings, and assets in roadway imagery.
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Standards
ODOT DSE
Ohio Department of Transportation Distress Severity and Extent rating methodology. Uses fixed deduction tables indexed by distress type, severity level, and extent category (Occasional, Frequent, Extensive) to produce a 0-100 Pavement Condition Rating. Road Triage implements these deduction tables as the scoring methodology for RT-PCR.
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Standards
OGC
Open Geospatial Consortium. The international body that publishes open standards for geospatial data, including GeoPackage. Road Triage exports follow OGC standards for interoperability.
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Scoring
PASER
Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating (RT-PASER). A 1-10 visual rating scale adapted from the Wisconsin DOT method, widely adopted by 1,000+ municipalities. Uses ASTM D6433 distress identification, E3303 crack measurement, and AASHTO R 55 crack width quantification as inputs. Applied to both asphalt and concrete.
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Scoring
PCI
Pavement Condition Index (RT-PCI). A 0-100 composite score built on ASTM D6433. All 19 distress types identified per E1778 terminology, measured via the Perception Engine, crack widths analyzed per E3303 and AASHTO R 55. Computes severity-weighted deduct values and applies the corrected deduct value (CDV) procedure. Applied to both asphalt and concrete. The industry gold standard for pavement management.
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Scoring
PCR
Pavement Condition Rating (RT-PCR). A 0-100 score built on the Ohio DOT Distress Severity and Extent (DSE) method. Uses fixed deduction tables indexed by distress type, severity, and extent category (Occasional, Frequent, Extensive). ASTM D6433 distress density mapped into extent categories. No iterative CDV. Applied to both asphalt and concrete.
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Export
Portable Document Format. A fixed-layout document format. Helm generates delivery-ready PDF reports from any filtered map view.
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Distress
Patching and Utility Cuts
Areas where the original pavement has been removed and replaced with new material. Includes utility cut patches. Measured in square feet.
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Assessment
Pavement Condition Assessment
The systematic evaluation of pavement surface conditions to quantify deterioration and prioritize maintenance. Road Triage performs automated pavement condition assessment using AI-analyzed roadway imagery.
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Distress
Pavement Distress
Any visible damage or deterioration of the pavement surface — cracks, potholes, rutting, raveling, etc. Road Triage identifies 17 distress types per ASTM D6433 terminology.
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Platform
Pavement Management System
A Pavement Management System (PMS) is software used by agencies to monitor pavement condition, plan maintenance, and forecast funding. Road Triage provides assessment data compatible with common PMS platforms.
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Treatment
Pavement Preservation
Proactive strategies that extend pavement service life by addressing minor deterioration before structural damage occurs. Includes crack sealing, chip seals, and thin overlays.
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Platform
Pavement Preservation Program
An agency program that allocates maintenance dollars across a road network using condition-based prioritization. Benefits from frequent, affordable assessment data like Road Triage provides.
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Scoring
Pavement Surface Distress Index
Surface Distress Index (SDI / RT-SDI). A 0-100 score isolating surface-level deterioration — raveling, bleeding, weathering — and complementing structural scores like PCI.
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Technology
Perception Engine
The Road Triage Perception Engine (RTPE) is the proprietary core of Road Triage — a pipeline of AI, machine learning, and computer vision processes that automatically detect, classify, and measure pavement distresses, signs, markings, and roadway assets from collected imagery. The RTPE feeds all five scoring methodologies and is designed to be expandable for additional applications. If your agency has specific detection or measurement needs, contact us — the RTPE may be able to address them.
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Distress
Pothole
A bowl-shaped depression in the pavement surface with a minimum diameter of 150mm. Usually formed by alligator cracking progressing under traffic loading. Measured by count.
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Treatment
Preventive Maintenance
Low-cost treatments applied to pavements in good condition to slow deterioration. Cost-effective compared to reconstruction; Road Triage scoring helps time these treatments optimally.
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Assessment
Project-Level Assessment
A detailed pavement evaluation of a specific roadway segment to support design and rehabilitation decisions. More granular than network-level assessments.
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Platform
ROI
Return on Investment. The value an agency gets back relative to what it spends. Frequent, low-cost Road Triage assessments help agencies time maintenance for better ROI.
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Equipment
RTK GPS
Real-Time Kinematic GPS — centimeter-accurate positioning used for precise georeferencing of pavement data. Road Triage leverages high-accuracy GPS in collection hardware.
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Distress
Railroad Crossing
Pavement distress associated with railroad crossing surfaces including settlement, cracking, and roughness at the crossing interface. Measured in square feet.
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Distress
Raveling
The wearing away of the pavement surface caused by dislodging of aggregate particles and loss of asphalt binder. Also called weathering. Measured in square feet.
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Platform
Roadway Segment
A defined length of roadway used as a unit of assessment and management. Road Triage assigns distress and scoring data to each segment for network-level rollups.
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Distress
Rutting
Surface depression in the wheel path caused by permanent deformation in any or all pavement layers. Can lead to hydroplaning. Measured in square feet.
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Scoring
SDI
Surface Distress Index (RT-SDI). A 0-100 score built on the FHWA Surface Distress Index methodology with weighted category scoring. Focuses on surface-level deterioration: raveling, bleeding, weathering, and oxidation. Complements PCI by distinguishing surface maintenance needs from structural issues. Applied to both asphalt and concrete.
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Equipment
SSI
Surface Systems and Instruments. A global leader in pavement profiling hardware. SSI evaluated competing AI solutions and selected Road Triage for integration into their platform.
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Scoring
Severity Level
The classification of each distress as Low, Medium, or High severity per ASTM D6433. Road Triage assigns severity from measured crack width, rut depth, and pothole dimension.
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Export
Shapefile
An Esri geospatial vector data format widely used in GIS applications. Exported from the Helm as a ZIP containing .shp, .dbf, .shx, and .prj component files.
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Distress
Shoving
A permanent, localized longitudinal displacement of a pavement surface caused by braking or accelerating vehicles. Usually located at intersections. Measured in square feet.
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Distress
Slippage Cracking
Crescent-shaped cracks resulting from braking or turning wheels that cause the surface to slide and deform. Usually points in the direction of traffic. Measured in square feet.
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Platform
Study Area
A user-defined geographic zone in the Helm (district, neighborhood, corridor) used for focused analysis and reporting within a larger network.
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Distress
Swell
An upward bulge in the pavement surface caused by frost action in the subgrade or by swelling soils. May be accompanied by surface cracking. Measured in square feet.
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Federal Data
USDOT Road to Zero
U.S. Department of Transportation initiative targeting zero roadway deaths. Road Triage assessments support data-driven safety improvements aligned with Road to Zero goals.
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Standards
WGS84
World Geodetic System 1984. The global coordinate reference system used by GPS (EPSG:4326). Road Triage location data is delivered in WGS84 unless another projection is requested.
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Distress
Weathering
The wearing away of the pavement surface caused by loss of asphalt binder and dislodging of aggregate particles. Also called raveling. Measured in square feet.
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Standards
Wisconsin PASER
Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating system developed by the University of Wisconsin Transportation Information Center. Produces a 1-10 condition rating adopted by over 1,000 municipalities. Road Triage implements a continuous-weighted adaptation as RT-PASER, translating automated distress observations into the familiar 1-10 scale used for maintenance planning.
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Export
XML
Extensible Markup Language. A structured, tag-based text format used for data exchange between systems. Available as a Road Triage export format.
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