FIELD SURVEY INFORMATION
Minimum hazard - Consistent and must
- Involves determination of the physical
location, alignment, gradients, sight
distances, cross sections, and other
design elements of highways.
GEOMETRIC DESIGN
- Embraces the grade line, alignment and
the width of the several component
parts including intersections and
roadside facilities.
BASIC DATA REQUIRED
Traffic Density
pertains to the volume of traffic.
Character of Traffic
involves vehicles weight, dimension and
mobility.
Design Speed
selected speed used to determine the
minimum values for super elevation, lane width
and sight distances.
BASIC CONSIDERATIONS IN THE DESIGN OF A
NEW HIGHWAY OR REDESIGN OF AN OLD
HIGHWAY
A. Environment minimum effect to the
environment
B. Safety-provided with necessary
roadside treatment, and road safety
control devices
C. Construction Methodology simple as
possible from the standpoint of the
builder
D. Maintenanceleast/reasonable cost
E. Motorists Convenience - Suitable to
traffic volume; safe for driving and
ensure confidence for motorists
F.
SUPERELEVATION
avoid surprise changes in alignment,
grade line, and sight distance
G. Aesthetics - Pleasing to the user and to
those who live along it
DESIGN CONSIDERATION
SIGHT DISTANCE
The distance at which a driver of a vehicle can
see an object ahead of time
Stopping Sight Distance
Available distance on a roadway to enable a
vehicle traveling at the design speed to stop
before reaching a stationary object
Passing Sight Distance
Distance required for a driver to see a sufficient
object to complete the passing maneuver
without cutting off the passed vehicle in
advance of meeting an opposing vehicle
appearing during maneuver
Decision Sight Distance
Distance required for a driver to initiate and
complete safely and efficiently the maneuver of
an unexpected or otherwise difficult-to-
perceive information source or hazard.
MINIMUM DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
Minimum Radius is 30m for a design speed of
30kph and superelevation, e=6%-8%.
Simple Curve which is the commonly used in
the design of horizontal alignment
Desirably, the minimum length of horizontal
curve on main highways should be about 3x the
design speed.
The tilting of roadway to help offset
centripetal forces developed as the vehicle
goes around a curve. Along with friction they
are what keeps a vehicle from going off the
road.
Widening on Curves?
- to make operating conditions on curves
- facilitates OFFTRACKING
- applied on the inside edge only
- spiral inside or divided equally between
the inside and outside curve
- should be attained gradually over a
length sufficient
- minimum width of widening is 0.60m.
Offtracking is the characteristic, common to all
vehicles, although much more pronounced with
the larger design vehicles, in which the rear
wheels do not precisely follow the same path as
the front wheels when the vehicle traverses a
horizontal curve or makes a turn.
The reversion length of tangent between
reversed curves should be 50m and in no case
should be less than 30m.
broken-back or flat-back arrangement of
curve (having a short tangent between two
curves in the same direction) should be avoided
except when very unusual topographical or R-O-
W dictate otherwise
Critical Length of Grade is used to indicate the
maximum length of a designated upgrade on
which a loaded truck can operate without an
unreasonable reduction in speed.
For Horizontal Alignment, Circular Curve is Shoulder width of 0.60m may be
used. considered on difficult terrain and on low-
volume highway.
All intersections of grade tangents shall be
converted by parabolic vertical curve either
symmetrical or unsymmetrical, where the latter
should be avoided whenever possible.

Width of pavement is determined by the lane

width

Desirable lane width is 3.65m which allows

large vehicles to pass without either vehicle
having to move sideways towards the edge of
pavement

Lane width as low as 2.75m may be used on

grounds of economy

Roads with pavement widths less than 5.5m

should be regarded as single lane.

Pavement width greater than 7.32m for 2-way

movement is not recommended for 2-lane
roads as some drivers will attempt to travel
three vehicles abreast on wide pavement

Shoulders on fill preferably should be wider

than in cuts although the present practice is to
make them equal.

Regardless of the width, shoulders should be

continuous.

Although, it is desirable that shoulder be wide

enough for a vehicle to be driven completely off
the travel way, narrower shoulders are better
than none at all.