GEOMETRIC DESIGN OF

HIGHWAYS (CENG 416)

TOPIC: INTRODUCTION
Contents

 What is Geometric Design

 Types of Roadway Design
 Topographical Survey Requirements
 Highway Cross-Section Terminology
 Design Procedure-Selecting Standards
What is Geometric Design
 Geometric design of highways is the field of highway
engineering that focuses on the placement of the
physical components of a roadway according to
established standards and limitations. The primary goal is
to optimize efficiency and safety while minimizing cost
and environmental impact.

 Geometric design is the design of the visible dimensions

of a highway with the objective of forming or shaping the
facility to the characteristics and behavior of the drivers,
vehicles, and traffic.
What is Geometric Design
 Thus, geometric design deals with features of
location, alignment, profile, cross-section,
intersection, and highway types.
 Geometric design covers road width, cross-fall,
horizontal and vertical alignments and sightlines,
and the transverse profile or cross-section.
 Thecross-sectional profile includes the design of
the side drainage ditches, embankment heights,
and side slopes, and is a vital part of geometric
design for low volume roads.
What is Geometric Design
 This aspect of transportation engineering design
covers road width, cross-fall, horizontal and
vertical alignments and sightlines, and the
transverse profile or cross-section.

 Thecross-sectional profile includes the design of

the side drainage ditches, embankment heights,
and side-slopes, and is a vital part of geometric
design for low volume roads.
What is Geometric Design
 A cross-section in the geometric design of a highway is a
representation of the road's vertical profile at a specific
point along its length. It provides a detailed view of the
road's width, pavement structure, shoulders, drainage
features, and any other relevant elements that affect the
road's functionality and safety.

 For instance, wide paved shoulders and highly incline or

cross-fall can significantly improve the operating
environment for the pavement layers by minimizing the
ingress of surface water.
What is Geometric Design
 Sub-surfacewater is a problem in low-lying flood-
prone areas and whenever the road is in cut.

 The height of embankment and the depth and

type of drainage ditch have very significant
effects.
Types of Roadway Design
Three design situations will be consider in this case
namely:
 Upgrading from a lower class of road to a higher
class.

 Designing a road to replace an existing track.

 Designing a completely new road where nothing

existed before.
Upgrading an Existing Road
 Upgrading existing roads may involve widening
curves, improving sight distances, or realigning
sections to reduce curvature.
 Upgrading existing roads may involve reducing
grades, constructing cut-and-fill sections, or
adding climbing lanes.
 Upgrading existing roads may involve widening
lanes, adding shoulders, or improving pavement
quality.
Upgrading an Existing Road
 Upgrading existing roads may involve adding
lanes, improving traffic signal timing, or
implementing traffic management strategies.

 Upgrading existing intersections may involve

adding lanes, modifying signal timing, or
implementing traffic management strategies.
Designing a Road to Replace an
Existing Track
 In
this case the existing geometric standards may
be very much lower than those required, hence
some substantial re-alignments may be necessary,
especially in hilly and mountainous terrain.

 However, the basic route selection has been

carried out by virtue of the fact that there is an
existing track and the main control points along
the alignment will already be defined.
Designing a Road to Replace an
Existing Track
 Although re-alignments may be substantial, an
experienced Engineer could adopt a design-by-eye
approach in many cases.

 However, it is anticipated that, in general, the

designs will be done with the help of computer
aided design programs based on accurate
topographical and other survey data.
Designing a New Road
 Designing a geometric alignment for an entirely
new road where nothing existed before is a
considerably more complex process because of
the many different route alignments that are
possible and the relative lack of information
available at the beginning of the process.

 Inmany cases there is a need for a pre-feasibility

study to identify possible corridors for the road
and to decide whether the project is likely to be
Designing a New Road
 This is followed by a feasibility study to determine
the best routes within the best corridors and,
finally, a detailed design study based on the route
selected.

 Thelevel of detail in this process depends critically

on the class of road being designed and the terrain
through which it will pass.
Designing a New Road
 Errorsat this stage can be costly and, once the
road is built, can also impose serious burdens in
the future if the road requires excessive
maintenance.

 The principles of route selection are based on

surveys of various kinds that provide information
about all the likely technical engineering issues
related to the new road but also surveys
concerned with environmental and social issues as
Designing a New Road
 The final design is inevitably a compromise
between many competing factors and there is no
formal way of resolving all of them to everyone’s
satisfaction.

 Engineering judgment and consensus is required

to arrive at a satisfactory alignment.
Topographical Survey
Requirements
 It is recommended that some form of
topographical survey be obtained or undertaken
prior to any geometric design.

 The extent to which the topographic survey is

required will depend upon the steepness and
complexity of the terrain.
Topographical Survey
Requirements
 It also depends on the extent to which both the
horizontal and vertical alignments are required to
deviate from the existing alignment to conform
with the (revised) geometric design criteria, and
the need to mitigate traffic safety hotspots.
 Ifthe project involves carriage way widening, then
sufficient topographic survey will be required to
allow the design of this widening, in conjunction
with the geometric design and a sufficiently
accurate ground model.
Topographical Survey
Requirements
 Where the drainage assessment identifies flood
potential at low-lying points on the road it is
necessary to use the topographic survey to raise
the vertical alignment.

 It is important, therefore, to ensure that the site

inspection team comprises highway and drainage
specialists, as well as geological expertise in hilly
and mountainous terrain.
Topographical Survey
Requirements
 The topographic survey should be detailed enough
and broad enough in its geographical extent to
allow the road improvement to be designed
accurately.
 Where the road project is located in flat or rolling
terrain and there are few geometric constraints to
consider, the design can be based on simple
elevation and road width adjustments based on a
basic surveyed strip map and standard cross-
sections. A center line survey using a standard
GPS device may be adequate for this purpose.
Highway Cross-Section
Terminology
This section includes general terminology associated
with the road cross-section and terms commonly
used in highway design. The elements of the road
cross-section are illustrated in Figure 3-A and Figure
3-B and defined as follows:
1. Highway - A general term denoting a public way
for purposes of vehicular travel, including the entire
area within the right-of-way lines. Recommended
usage in urban areas, highway, or street; in rural
areas, high way or road.
Highway Cross-Section
Terminology
2. Highway Section – The portion of the high way
included between top of slopes in cut and the toe of
slopes in fill.

3. Roadway – The portion of the highway, including

shoulders, for vehicular use.

4. Traveled Way – The portion of the road way

provided for the movement of vehicles, exclusive of
shoulders, auxiliary lanes, and bicycle lanes.
Highway Cross-Section
Terminology
5. Median - The portion of a divided highway
separating the traveled ways for traffic in opposite
directions.

6. Shoulder – The portion of the road way

contiguous with the traveled way for
accommodation of stopped vehicles for emergency
use ,and for lateral support of the base and surface
courses. The shoulder may be used for bicycle travel
where allowed. It may also be used by pedestrians
Highway Cross-Section
Terminology
7. Surfaced Right Shoulder – That portion of the
out side paved shoulder to provide all load support.
8. Surfaced Left Shoulder – The portion of the
median shoulder paved to provide all weather load
support.
9. Profile Line – The point for control of the vertical
alignment. Also, normally the point of rotation for
super elevated sections.
10. Pavement Cross Slope – Lateral slope across
the pavement.
Highway Cross-Section
Terminology
11. Shoulder Cross Slope – Lateral slope across
the shoulder.

12. Base Course – The layer or layers of specified

or selected material of designed thickness placed on
a sub base or sub grade to support a surface course.

13. Subbase – The layer or layers of specified or

selected material placed on a sub grade to support
a base course.
Highway Cross-Section
Terminology
14. Surface Course – One or more layers of a
pavement structure designed to accommodate the
traffic load, the top layer of which resists skidding,
traffic abrasion, and the disintegrating effects of
climate.

15. Pavement Structure – The combination of

subbase, base course and surface course placed on
a sub grade to support the traffic load and distribute
it to the road bed.
Highway Cross-Section
Terminology
16. Shoulder Surface Course
17. Shoulder Base Course

18. Subgrade - The top surface of the roadbed

upon which the pavement structure and shoulders
are constructed.

19. Original (Existing) Ground

20. Embankment (Fill)
Highway Cross-Section
Terminology
21. Fill Slope
22. Cut Section
23. Cut Slope - Also called cut face.

24. Hinge Point (P.V.I.) - The intersection of

shoulder slope planes with fill or cut slope planes.

25. Rounding - At the intersection of existing

ground and cut slope.
Highway Cross-Section
Terminology
26. Median Barrier - A longitudinal barrier used to
prevent an errant vehicle from crossing the portion
of a divided highway separating the traveled ways
for traffic in opposite directions.

27. Guide Rail - A barrier whose primary function is

to prevent penetration and safely redirect an errant
vehicle away from a roadside or median hazard.
Highway Cross-Section
Terminology
28. Top of Slope - The intersection of the cut slope
and the original ground.

29. Toe of Slope - The intersection of the fill slope

and the original ground.

30. Outer Separation - The portion of an arterial

highway, between the traveled ways of a roadway,
for through traffic and a frontage road.
Highway Cross-Section
Terminology
31. Frontage Road - Also called marginal road or
street. A local road, or street auxiliary, to and
located on the side of an arterial highway for service
to abutting property and adjacent areas and for
control of access.

32. Roadside - The area adjoining the outer edge

of the roadway (normally applies to freeways). The
term "border" or "sidewalk area" is usually referred
to street type facilities.
Highway Cross-Section
Terminology
33. Outer Separation Island - The space in the
outer edge of roadway shoulder and frontage
roadway shoulder and frontage road or street which
may be landscaped or paved depending on width.
34. Buffer Strip - The space in the border area
provided to separate the sidewalk from the
vehicular travel facilities.
35. Sidewalk - An exterior pathway with a
prepared surface (concrete, bituminous, brick,
stone, etc.) intended for pedestrian use.
Design Procedure-Selecting
Standards
Step 1: Determine the basic traffic level
because this defines the road class.
 This
in turn determines possible design speeds and
overall level of service.
 Atthis point, the proportion of heavy vehicles in
the traffic stream is also determined.
Step 2: Determine the class or type of road
which are most appropriate to the traffic
volumes established in Step 1.
Design Procedure-Selecting
Standards
Step 3: The numbers and characteristics of all
the other road users are considered.
 itis here that the road layout may be altered, and
additional widths provided for safety.
 improve serviceability for all road users (e.g.
reduce congestion caused by slow moving
vehicles).

Step 4:The terrain class

 flat, rolling, or hilly-mountainous is determined.
Design Procedure-Selecting
Standards
Step 5:
 Evaluate the ‘size’ of the villages through which the road
passes is to determine whether they are large enough to
require parking areas; lay-bys; bus-bays; and areas for
traders.
Step 6:
 For most road classes there are options for road type and
therefore step 6 is to decide which type will be built.
 In many cases the adoption of an Environmentally
Optimized Design (EOD) policy will mean that different
parts of the road may be designed with a different
surfacing.
Design Procedure-Selecting
Standards
Step 7: Determine Widths of the Roadway
 widths of the roadway and shoulders are
determined from the available data.

 additional factors that affect the geometric

standards are also considered, such as additional
road safety features and the construction
technology to be employed.