in a network is essential. Prioritization of road sections is based on the structural and functional condition of pavement. Detailed distress data are a prerequisite for functional condition assessment of pavements. However, due to the scarcity of funds for comprehen- sive pavement condition evaluation, subjective quality-based data on pavement condition are generally collected. Network-level pave- ment management systems for low-volume roads rely on subjective evaluation techniques. However, the consistency of these techniques is still to be established, as the judgment of panel raters may differ significantly. NEED FOR THE STUDY The functional condition assessment of pavements uses two methods: one depends on pavement condition quantified by using the pavement condition index (PCI), and the other is based on ratings by a panel of trained raters. The first one is the detailed condition assessment and subsequent calculation of PCI with the deduct value method (1). This method captures the present functional status of the pavement in an exhaustive manner, and hence it is a time-consuming process. This method involves identifying distress type, assessing its severity, and physically measuring the extent of each distress. Even minor changes in the functional condition are captured in this method. The second category is rapid, visual, overall condition assessment, which consists of methods such as the ride rating method, the surface con- dition rating method, rating on the basis of maximum comfortable speed, and so on. In all these methods, a pavement section is rated in a five- or 10-point scale on the basis of certain threshold values. These methods are currently used for functional condition assessment of low-volume roads. They give only an approximate picture of the functional status of the pavement, however, and the results vary sig- nificantly on the basis of each panel rater’s perception and judgment. Therefore, it is essential for pavement management systems of low- volume roads to use a new methodology that not only simplifies the data collection procedure but also takes into consideration the type, severity, and extent of each distress. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE The prioritization of maintenance of pavement sections at the network level is decided on the basis of the functional condition. The objec- tive of the present study is to develop a cost-effective pavement prioritization methodology for low-volume roads and to establish its reliability. The reliability of the method is checked by the conventional deduct value method of pavement evaluation. Prioritization of Low-Volume Pavement Sections for Maintenance by Using Fuzzy Logic Shiju Chandran, Kuncheria P. Isaac, and A. Veeraragavan 53 A pavement management system formulated according to the specific needs and resources of a highway agency should ensure satisfactory pavement performance with minimal maintenance cost. The success of a pavement management system depends on the pavement condition data, accuracy of the prediction of pavement performance, and project- and network-level rehabilitation planning. Of these, the most labor- intensive, time-consuming, and costly component is the collection of pavement condition data. The inventory data include roughness, skid resistance, and surface distresses. Although mechanical instruments are available for rapid collection of roughness and skid resistance data, the collection of distress data for low-volume rural roads is still manual and hence labor-intensive and time-consuming. Subjective rating techniques prove to be a solution to this problem, but their reliability is poor due to the subjectivity associated with them. Therefore, there is a need for a rapid and cost-effective yet reliable method for collecting pavement con- dition data. The Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana is a project launched in India by the Government of India to provide all-weather road connectivity to rural habitations. The investment is around 600 billion rupees ($15 billion) during the period 2000–2007. As part of the project, road stretches are prioritized for maintenance and reconstruction by using the pavement condition index. The quantification of the severity and extent of data collected is affected by each panel member’s perception and judgment. To deal effectively with the subjectivity associated with human judgment of distress severity and extent, mathematical tech- niques of fuzzy set were used. Fuzzy membership functions were formu- lated for severity, extent, and relative importance of each distress with respect to maintenance. Fuzzy condition indices were used to prioritize the pavement sections by suitable fuzzy ranking methods. The effectiveness of the method is established by ranking pavement sections. Preserving the existing road asset is widely recognized as an impor- tant attribute in the economic development of a country. A reliable and efficient pavement management system (PMS) ensures that the available funds are used effectively for maintenance of the road network at any desired serviceability level. Since the fund alloca- tion is always limited, prioritization of various sections of roads S. Chandran, Transportation Engineering Division, and K. P. Isaac, Transportation Divi- sion, Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum-695 016, India. A. Veeraragavan, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Tech- nology, Madras, Chennai-600 036, India. Corresponding author: A. Veeraragavan, av@iitm.ac.in. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 1989, Vol. 1, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., 2007, pp. 53–60. DOI: 10.3141/1989-06