A Review on Automated Detection and Identification Algorithms for Highway Pavement Distress

The global expansion of road networks and the aging of infrastructure have intensified the need for efficient pavement distress detection technologies to ensure road safety and sustainability. While traditional manual inspections are time consuming and labor-intensive, recent advances in automated systems have improved detection precision. However, challenges persist, including limited accuracy, poor generalization across datasets, and high computational demands for pixel-level segmentation. This review systematically examines the evolution of pavement distress detection, covering three key phases: manual inspection, semi-automated systems, and non-destructive automated methods. We analyze advancements in image acquisition (e.g., 2D to 3D, ground to aerial platforms) and processing techniques (e.g., threshold-based segmentation to deep learning), highlighting critical trade-offs between speed, accuracy, and scalability. Our findings reveal that, while modern systems excel in controlled environments, their real-world performance remains inconsistent due to varying imaging conditions and underrepresented distress types. To address these gaps, we propose four future directions: (1) enhancing environmental adaptability through multi-sensor datasets, (2) optimizing datasets via self-supervised learning, (3) deploying lightweight models on edge devices for real-time analysis, and (4) integrating predictive maintenance frameworks. These strategies aim to shift pavement management from reactive repairs to proactive, data-driven decision making, ultimately supporting smarter infrastructure systems.