DESIGN CONROLS
HIGHWAY CAPACITY
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FACTORS – CAPACITY
Capacity. max vehicles that can be expected to cross a point (or line) on the
road in a unit interval of time, (maximum flow qmax )
Ideal Capacity. Capacity on an ideal road. An ideal road-section is one
which has ample width (at least 3.65 m wide lanes), wide paved shoulders
(at least 1.8 m wide) and zero gradient.
Practical Capacity. Capacity under prevalent conditions.
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FACTORS – CAPACITY
Density defined as: average number of vehicles per unit distance
n
k=
l
Where:
k = traffic density in vehicles per unit distance,
n = number of vehicles occupying some length of roadw
at some specified time, and
l= length of roadway.
The simple identity provides the basic relationship among traffic flow, speed
(space-mean speed), and density is,
q= flow, typically in units of vehicles per hour (veh/h),
u= speed (space mean speed), typically in units of mi/h
q = uk (km/h), and
k= density, typically in units of veh/mi (veh/km).
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FACTORS – CAPACITY
• Analysis related to the design of a freeway sections (interruptions minimal).
• PCU. It is a vehicle unit used for expressing highway capacity.
Table 3.1 Description and Equivalent PCU Factors Recommended
1 Bicycle 0.5
2 Motorcycles, Rickshaws, Qingqi 0.5
3 Car, Taxi, 4WD, Jeep, Land Cruisers, Hiace, Suzuki 1.0
Wagon, , Minibus (up to 16 seats), Mazda, Coaster, Delivery truck,
4 1.0
Utility vehicles, Ambulances
5 Large bus (>30 seats) 3.0
6 All trucks, Other mechanized vehicles (including construction vehicles) 4.0
7 Tractors (with or without trolley) 5.0
8 Animal-driven carts 8.0
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FACTORS – CAPACITY
• Service Flow Rate
• It is the maximum hourly flow rate of traffic that a designed highway would be able to
accommodate at a specific level of service.
• Capacity for ideal conditions:
• Freeway – 2,300 pc/h/lane
• Two-lane two-way highway – 2,800 pc/h
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FACTORS – CAPACITY
• Application of Highway Capacity
• properly fit a planned highway to traffic demands
• analysis is used both to select the highway type and to determine dimensions such
as the number of lanes and the minimum lengths for weaving sections
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DESIGN CONROLS
CONTROLLING FACTORS
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CONTROLLING FACTORS
Level of Service (LOS)
Topography
Funds
Safety
Political Thought Process
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EXAMPLE – 1
Traffic is moving in a lane on a road at a speed of 48 kmph. All vehicles are
passenger cars having length as 5m. Vehicles are moving while maintaining a
clear average distance of 48m.
Calculate capacity of a traffic lane. What will be the capacity of the road having
two (2) lane carriageway?
Solution
𝑉
𝐶 1000 𝑥
𝑆
C = 1000 𝑥 = 1,000 veh/h/lane
Capacity of two (2) lane road = 2 x 1,000 = 2,000 veh/h
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EXAMPLE – 2
Traffic is moving in a road at a speed of 65 kmph. All vehicle are
passengers cars having length as 6m. Calculate the capacity of a traffic
lane.
Solution
Average spacing
𝑆 0.2 𝑉 𝑙
S = 0.2 65 6 = 19 m
𝐶 1000 𝑥 𝐶 1000 𝑥
C = 3,421 veh/h/lane
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
LEVEL OF SERVICE (LOS)
Define the ease and convenient with which the users can use the facility
Use for performance analysis
Usually, SIX categories are define – A to F, where ‘A’ define highest level of comfort
and ‘F’ defines lowest level
Mostly, LOS – B or C is used as a limiting criteria for improvement in a facility
Attributes used are flow or volume, speed, density, etc.
Attributes can also be delay, number of vehicles following, travel time saved, space
per pedestrian, etc. depending on a facility and user
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
LEVEL OF SERVICE (LOS)
LOS A – C
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
LEVEL OF SERVICE (LOS)
LOS D – F
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
LEVEL OF SERVICE (LOS)
LOS
Accepted LOS
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
LEVEL OF SERVICE (LOS)
LOS
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
TOPOGRAPHY
Defined in terms of cross-slope of the ground (transverse to the direction of
movement)
Four (4) classifications:
• Plan terrain ≤ 10 %
• Rolling terrain 10 – 25 %
• Mountainous terrain 25 – 60 %
• Steep terrain > 60 %
As the cross-slope increases the terrain become more rugged
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
TOPOGRAPHY
Another classification is based on ride and fall (m/km) and degree of
curvature (Degree/km)
Three (3) classifications: m/km degree/km
• Plain – low curvature 0 – 15 0 – 50
• Plain – High curvature 0 – 15 above 50
• Rolling – Low curvature 16 – 30 0 – 100
• Rolling – High curvature 16 – 30 above 100
• Hilly – Low curvature over 30 0 – 200
• Hilly – High curvature over 30 above 200
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
TOPOGRAPHY
• Curvature and grade must blend with each other to produce a system that
provides for the easy flow of traffic at the design capacity, while meeting design
criteria and safety standards.
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
TOPOGRAPHY
Curvature Vs Rise & Fall
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EXAMPLE – 1
A road, 10 km long, is planned in a terrain. Use information given below to
identify the actual terrain classification.
Curvature - 11o 8o 32o 14o 21o -
Chainage, km 0.000 6.400 6.780 7.210 7.550 8.120 10.0
RL, m 195.0 211.2 205.8 209.9 217.6 225.22 235.00
Solution:
Curvature = SUM /10 = 86/10 = 8.6 degree/km
Ride/Fall = 40/10 = 4m/km
Terrain Plain Low Curvature
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
FUNDS
• Size of facility increases for horizon year (5/10 – 20 years)
• Expenditure required is quite high
• Authorities may not have sufficient funds to take up the construction of a
facility or may have to take care of many other sectors.
• Options – stage construction which reduces the size of a facility and
requirement of funds
• Number of lanes
• Thickness of pavement
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
FUNDS
• Another option can be to invite private companies for the construction and
operation of a facility and operate it under PPP (Public-Private
Partnership) mode
• Financial assistance from IMF, WB, ADB, etc, but aspects like interest on
borrowing, Internal rate of return (IRR) need to be evaluated
• Economic aspects in terms of economic benefits like travel time savings,
increase in travel speed, safety benefits vehicle operating cost, etc. need
to be thoroughly examined
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
FUNDS
Alt. 1
Alt. 1
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Alt. 2
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Alt. 1
Alt. 2
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
SAFETY
• Safety of road:
• users (types) and
• property is adjoining area/s of the facility
• Safety devices and road furniture shall be used to ensure safety
• Edge markings, center line marking, tuning islands, etc.
• Safety through design
• Channelization, access points, medium, shoulders, alignment, etc.
• Safety through operational controls
• Control devices, yellow markings, speed control etc.
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
SAFETY
• MUTCD, etc.
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
POLITICAL THOUGH PROCESS
• Final decision making body
• Regional or area development approach
• May cause change in:
• an alignment, say to join different towns/ cities
• the size of the facility or its type or its location
• May be to improve the traffic conditions in an urban area
• e.g. bypass corridors, expansion or urban arterial, freight corridors,
construction of flyovers or underpasses in a city, etc.
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CONTROLLING FACTORS –
POLITICAL THOUGH PROCESS
Planning
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DESIGN CONROLS
CONTROLLING ACCESS
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FACTORS –
CONTROLLING ACCESS
Methods:
• Control by the transportation agency
• Land-use ordinances
• Driveway regulations
• Geometric design — Geometric design features such as:
• use of raised-curb medians
• the spacing of median openings
• use of frontage roads
• closure of median openings
• raised-curb channelization at intersections
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DESIGN CONROLS
AND SPACE REQUIREMENTS
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FACTORS – SPACE REQUIREMENTS
• Ecological aspects
• Environmental aspects
• Space requirements
• Factors Controlling
• Urban Roads
• Rural Highways
• Expressways
• Hill roads
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FACTORS – SPACE REQUIREMENTS
Highway location involves:
• the acquisition of data concerning the terrain upon which the road will
traverse.
• the economical siting of an alignment.
• Important factors need consideration:
• earthwork
• geologic conditions
• land use
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FACTORS – ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS
• Important decision making in hilly roads and rural highways
• Major road facilities like expressway may pass through ecological
sensitive area
• Permission for construction of a facility to be taken from relevant ministry
• May require to shift or change the location of the facility
• Better to have public consultations to resolve the issue
• E.g. Gwadar sea link project, Expressway projects, CPEC and industrial
zones, Quetta City Traffic Management Plan, etc.
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FACTORS – ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS
• Gwadar
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FACTORS – ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS
Ecological issues in different regions are –
• Geological disturbances: faults, folds, dips
• Soil erosion/ flow
• Land degradation
• Destruction and denudation of forests
• Disturbances to natural habitats
• Interruption and disturbances to natural drainage pattern
• Loss of agriculture or vegetation lands (i.e. 150 mm)
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FACTORS – ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS
Examples:
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FACTORS – ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS
Ecological issues in different regions are –
• Land slides and soil stability
• Siltation of water bodies / reservoirs
• Cultural and ethnic divide
• Corridor passing through the state, GB, Kashmir
• Aesthetic degradation (i.e. plan and elevation)
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FACTORS – ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS
• Trial-and-error process considering both engineering and
aesthetic factors
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FACTORS – ENVIRONMENTAL
ASPECTS
Air pollution
Land degradation (veh, scrap)
Noise pollution
Specific area requirements
• Snow, high rainfall, desert area, area prone to rockfalls,
landslides, high water table, area with high variation in
temperature, etc.
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FACTORS – ENVIRONMENTAL
ASPECTS
Snow Desert
Noise Pollution Pollution
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