Group – 7
Cainglet, Romeo Jr. T.
Geometric design for transportation facilities includes
the design of geometric cross sections, horizontal
alignment, vertical alignment, intersections, and
various design details. These basic elements are
common to all linear facilities, such as roadways,
railways, and airport runways and taxiways.
GEOMETRIC CROSS SECTION
The primary consideration in the design of
geometric cross sections for highways,
runways, and taxiways is drainage. Details
vary depending on the type of facility and
agency
Alignment of Railway Lines
Alignment of railway line refers to the
direction and position given to the
center line of the railway track on the
ground in the horizontal and vertical
planes.
Importance of Good Alignment
A new railway line should be align
carefully after proper considerations, as
improper alignment may ultimately prove
to be more costly and may not be able to
fulfill the desired objectives.
Vertical Alignment Design
refers to the design of the tangents and curves
which compose the profile of the road. Its primary
aim is to ensure that a continuously unfolding
ribbon of road is presented to motorists so that
their anticipation of directional change and future
action is instantaneous and correct.
Vertical Curves
A vertical curve provides a smooth transition between
successive tangent gradients in the road profile. Vertical
curves are normally parabolas centered about the point
of intersection (P.I.) of the vertical tangents they join.
Vertical curves are thus of the form.
Critical issues
a)Overlapping
with Vertical Curves
vertical curves
b)Avoid lowering
existing tracks
c)No vertical curves
within turnouts
d)Provide additional
clearance in sag
curves
e)No vertical curves
within horizontal
spirals
Sight Distance
Sight distance, in the context of road design,
is defined as "the length of roadway ahead
visible to the driver. "Sight distance is how far
a road user (usually a vehicle driver) can see
before the line of sight is blocked by a hill
crest, or an obstacle on the inside of a
horizontal curve or intersection. Insufficient
sight distance can adversely affect the safety
or operations of a roadway or intersection.
Crest Curves
Crest vertical curves are curves which, when viewed
from the side, are convex upwards. This includes
vertical curves at hill crests, but it also includes
locations where an uphill grade becomes less steep,
or a downhill grade becomes steeper
Formula:
For stopping sight distance, the height of object is normally taken to
be 0.150 m. For passing sight distance, the height of object used by
AASHTO is 1.300 m. Height of eye is assumed to be 1.070 m.
Sag Curves
Sag vertical curves are curves which, when viewed from
the side, are concave upwards. This includes vertical
curves at valley bottoms, but it also includes locations
where an uphill grade becomes steeper, or a downhill
grade becomes less steep.
Formula
Comfort Criterion
Horizontal Alignment
Horizontal alignment in road design consists of
straight sections of road, known as tangents,
connected by circular horizontal curves. Circular
curves are defined by radius (tightness) and deflection
angle (extent). The design of a horizontal curve entails
the determination of a minimum radius (based on
speed limit), curve length, and objects obstructing the
view of the driver.
Horizontal Tangent
Horizontal tangents are described in terms of their
lengths (as expressed in the stationing of the job) and
their directions. Directions may be either expressed as
bearings or as azimuths and are always defined in the
direction of increasing station.
Critical Issues with Horizontal Curves
a)Too short tangent
between reversed
curves
b)“Broken back” curve
c)Curve within
turnout
d)Additional
horizontal clearance
required
Circular Curves
Horizontal curves are normally circular. Horizontal
curves are described by radius (R), central angle (∆)
(which is equal to the deflection angle between the
tangents), length (L), semi tangent distance (T),
middle ordinate (M), external distance (E), and chord
(C). The curve begins at the tangent-to-curve point
(TC) and ends at the curve-to-tangent point (CT).
Example Question
The offset distance of two points A & B of a simple
Curve are 2m and 6m respectively . The chord length
from PC to A is 30. Find the radius (r) and Chord
length at PC to B.
Transition Curves
Transition curves are used to connect tangents to
circular curves. Several forms of curve have been used
for this purpose. The most logical choice from a
theoretical standpoint is the clothoid spiral, for which
the radius of curvature varies as the inverse of the
distance along the curve from its beginning.
Superelevation
The purpose of superelevation or banking of curves is to
counteract the centripetal acceleration produced as a
vehicle rounds a curve. The term itself comes from
railroad practice, where the top of the rail is the profile
grade. In curves, the profile grade line follows the lower
rail, and the upper rail is said to be “superelevated.” Since
most railways are built to a standard gage, the
superelevations are given as the difference in elevation
between the upper and lower rail. In the case of
highways, somewhat more complicated modifications of
the cross section are required, and, because widths vary,
superelevation is expressed as a slope.
Formula
Design Requirement of
Highway
Group - 7
Functional classification of highways
Highways are classified by the character of service
they provide.
Freeways move high traffic volumes at high speeds
with limited local access.
Local roads and streets are intended to avoid high-
speed and volume for increased local access.
Arterials and collectors provide intermediate service.
The functional classification of a roadway is a major
factor in determining the appropriate design criteria.
What is Design Requirement of Highway?
Geometric design of highways deals with the dimensions
and layout of visible features of the highway.
Geometric design fulfills the requirements of the driver
and the vehicle, such as comfort, efficiency and safety.
Proper geometric design will help in the reduction of
accidents and their severity.
Goals of Design Requirement
Maximize the comfort, safety and economy of
facilities.
Provide efficiency in traffic operation.
Provide maximum safety at reasonable cost.
Minimize the environmental impacts.
Factors affecting Design Requirement
Design speed.
Topography.
Traffic.
Environmental factors.
Economical factors.
Vehicles properties (dimensions, weight, operating
characteristics, etc.).
Humans (the physical, mental and psychological
characteristics of the driver and pedestrians like the
reaction time).
Design Critical Elements
Design speed.
Design Speed Segments.
Lane Width.
Shoulder Width .
Horizontal Curve Radius.
Superelevation.
Cross Slope.
Vertical clearance.
Design Speed
The design speed is either:
maximum functional class speed or
a speed based on the anticipated
(post-construction) off-peak 85th
percentile speed within the range of
functional class speeds.
Design Speed Segments
The use of different design speeds for continuous
segments of a facility should be kept to a
minimum to better assure consistency of design
features such as vertical and horizontal alignment.
However, significant changes in highway
environment or terrain may necessitate a different
design speed for different highway segments
within the project (i.e., rural vs. urban, flat vs.
mountainous, a large change in side road or
driveway density, a large change in building
offsets, etc.).
Lane Width
The highway lane is the portion of the
travelled way used for a single line of
vehicles. Wide curb lanes in urban areas are
designed to accommodate bicycles and
motor vehicles simultaneously.
Shoulder Width
The shoulder is the portion of the
roadway contiguous with the traveled
way. Narrow shoulders less than 3’ wide
adjacent to curbing are sometimes
called curb off-sets.
Shoulders may provide for:
Improved capacity
Easier entry and departure from the highway to side streets and
driveways
Truck turning movements
Off tracking of trucks around curves
Evasive maneuvers
Increased horizontal and intersection sight distances
Increase the horizontal clearance
Reduced driver stress
Storm water flow in curbed and gutter sections
Stopped vehicles
Maintenance and protection of traffic
Horizontal Curve Radius
The minimum radius is a limiting value of curvature
for a given design speed and is determined from the
maximum rate of superelevation and the maximum
side-friction factor selected for design. The highway
and turning roadway radii used for curve and
superelevation design is measured from the inner edge
of the travelled way.
Superelevation
Superelevation is the cross slope of the
pavement at a horizontal curve, provided to
partially counterbalance the centrifugal
force on a vehicle going around that curve.
A number of factors influence the
maximum allowable rate of superelevation,
including climate and area type (i.e., urban,
suburban, or rural).
Cross Slope
Cross slope is the minimum value of
sustained transverse slope of a travel lane and
paved shoulder. For non-superelevated
sections of the traveled way, this cross slope is
commonly called "normal crown." The
purpose of travel lane cross slope is to provide
positive drainage from the pavement.
Vertical clearance
Vertical clearance is the minimum
vertical clear distance to an obstruction
over any part of the travelled way and
shoulders.
Design Loading Structural Capacity
Design loading structural capacity is
the ability of a bridge to carry its dead
load and a given live load.
Example:
Slide 1-11 Micah
Slide 12-36 Abel
Slide 37-40 Micah
41-55 Romeo
56-85 Donna
