Highway Engineering

Yogananda
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil engineering
AIT
Chikkamagaluru
INTRODUCTION

• Transportation
• Engineering
• Transportation Engineering

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Modes Of Transportation

• Air
– Airways or Airport Engineering.
• Water
– Waterways or Harbour Engineering.
• Land
– Railways or Railway Engineering.
– Roadways or Highways or Highway
Engineering.
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Comparing different modes of
transportation

• Among the four modes of transportation,

air transportation is the fastest mode of
transportation. It also provides more
comfort and saves the transportation time.
• Transportation by water is the slowest
among four modes but these mode needs
minimum energy.

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• Transportation along the railway track could
be advantageous, less energy requirement
and used for transportation of bulk goods.
• Road transportation is the only mode that
can give maximum service, maximum
flexibility for travel, provide door to door
service. The other three modes depend on
road transport
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Characteristics of road transport

• Used by various types of road vehicles

• Lowest initial investment
• Flexibility
• Short distance of travel
• Speed directly related to accident.
• Whole community alike.

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Jaykar Committee Recommendations
and its Implementation

• Jaykar Committee
• Recommendations
- Road development as a national interest
- An extra tax should be levied on petrol
- Semi-official technical body
- Research organisation

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• Implementations
- Central road fund was formed in1929.
- Semi-official body was formed in 1934.
- C R R I was started in 1950.

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Central Road Fund (CRF)

• As per recommendation of Jaykar committee central road

fund was formed in 1929.
• Extra tax of 2.64 paisa per litre of petrol consumption
from 1st march 1929.
• Tax towards Central Road Fund has been revised in
order to augment the revenue under this fund.
• As per Act 2000, present tax is Rs 2 per litre.
• 80% is being allotted by central government to the
various states.
• The balance 20% is been set apart as Central Reserve.
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Indian Road Congress (IRC)

• Semi-official technical body called Indian Road Congress

was formed in 1934. IRC has played an important role
in formulation of four 20 year plan.
• It has become an active body of national importance
controlling specification, standardisation and
recommendation on materials, design and construction
of roads and bridges.
• The IRC publishes journals, research publications,
specifications, guidelines and other publication on
various aspects, on highways and bridges.

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Objectives of IRC

• To provide national forum for regular pooling of

experiences and ideas on all matters affecting planning,
construction and maintenance of roads and bridges.
• To recommend standard specifications.
• To form a long term (20 year) road development plan

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Central Road Research Institute (CRRI)

• In accordance with the recommendation of Jaykar

committee on research organisation, central road
research institute was started in 1950.
• The CRRI, New Delhi is a premium national laboratory
engaged in research and development work in field of
road transport.
• As an effective organisation in road sector CRRI is
always rewind in the forefront by exploring the emerging
areas and providing guidance in solving problems
concerning roads.

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Functions of CRRI

• To engage itself in fundamental and applied research on

road materials, design and construction.
• Offering technical advice to state government on various
problems concerning roads.
• To device suitable equipment’s for various tests on
measurement of irregularities on road surface, test on
materials etc…

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Classification of roads

• Based on different seasons of the year

-All-weather roads: These roads are negotiable during
all weather, except at major river crossings where
interruption of traffic is permissible up to a certain limit
extent, the road pavement should be negotiable during
all weathers.
-Fair-weather roads: On these roads the traffic may
be interrupted during monsoon season at causeways
where streams may overflow across the roads.

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 Classification of roads contd...

• Based on the carriageway

-Paved Roads: These roads are provided with
a hard pavement course which should be at
least a water bound macadam (WBM) layer.
-Unpaved Roads: These roads are not
provided with a hard pavement course of at
least a WBM layer. Thus earth roads and gravel
roads may be called as unpaved roads.

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Classification of roads contd...

• Based on Surface of pavement provided

-Surface Roads: These roads are provided with a
bituminous or cement concrete surfacing. Roads which
are provided with bituminous surfacing are called as
black toped roads and that of concrete are referred to as
concrete roads respectively.
-Unsurfaced Roads: These are not provided with
bituminous or cement concrete surfacing.

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Classification of roads contd...

• Based on Traffic Volume

-Heavy, Medium, Light traffic roads.
• Based on Load transported or tonnage
-Class-I or Class-A, Class-II or Class-B.
• Based on location and Function
-National Highways (NH)
-State Highways (SH)
- Major District Roads (MDR)
- Other District Roads (ODR)
-Village Roads (VR)
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 Classification of roads contd...

• National Highways (NH): The NH connects the

capital cities of the states and the capital cities to the
port. The roads connecting the neighbouring countries
are also called as NH. The NH are at least 2 lanes of
traffic about 7.5m d wide. The NH are having concrete
or bituminous surfacing.
• State Highways (SH): SH are the main roads within
the state and connect important towns and cities of
state. The width of state highways is generally 7.5m.

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 Classification of roads contd...

• Major District Roads (MDR): These roads connect the

areas of production and markets with either a SH or
railway. The MDR should have atleast metalled single
lane carriage way (i.e., 3.8m) wide. The roads carry
mixed traffic.
• Other District Roads (ODR): these roads connect the
village to other village or the nearest district road, with
ghat, river etc. these roads have a single lane and carry
mixed traffic.
• Village Roads (VR): these roads, like other district
roads, connect the village or village or nearby district
road. The roads carry mixed traffic. 19
Classification of roads contd...

• Modified Classification of Road system by Third Road

Development Plan
-Primary System: consists of Expressways and N H.
-Secondary System: consists of S H and M D R.
-Tertiary System: consists of ODR and V R.
Expressways : Expressways are a separate class of highways
with superior facilities and design standards and are meant as
through routes having very high volume of traffic. The
expressways are to be provided with divided carriageways,
controlled access, grade separation at cross roads fencing.
These highways should permit only fast moving vehicles

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 Classification of roads contd...

• Based on Urban Roads:

-Arterial roads
-Sub-arterialroads
-Collector Streets
-Local Streets
Arterial and Sub-arterial roads are primarily for through traffic on
a continuous route, but sub-arterials have a lower level of traffic
mobility than the arterials. Collector streets provide access to arterial
streets and they collect and distribute traffic from and to local streets
which provide access to abutting property.

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ROAD PATTERNS

• Rectangular or block pattern

• Radial or star and block pattern
• Radial or star and circular pattern
• Radial or star and grid pattern
• Hexagonal pattern
• Minimum travel pattern

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ROAD PATTERNS Contd ...

• Rectangular or block pattern

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ROAD PATTERNS Contd ...

• Radial or star and block pattern

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ROAD PATTERNS Contd ...

• Radial or star and circular pattern

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ROAD PATTERNS Contd ...

• Radial or star and grid pattern

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ROAD PATTERNS Contd ...

• Hexagonal pattern

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ROAD PATTERNS Contd ...

• Minimum travel pattern

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Planning surveys

• Economic studies
• Financial studies
• Traffic or road use studies
• Engineering studies

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Master plan

• Master plan is the final road development plan for the area under
study which may be a block, taluk, district, state or whole country.
• Based on different proposals for road networks and improvement,
some of the possible existing roads are suggested.
• In each proposal the population and productivity of each locality,
both existing and possible changes in future are kept in view.
• The next step is to compare the various alternate proposals of road
system in hand and to select the one which may be considered as
best under the plan period.
• In arriving at the best road system out of the alternate proposals, it
is desirable to make use of concept of saturation system based on
max utility unit system of highway planning.

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Saturation system

• The optimum road length is calculated for the area,

based on concept of obtaining maximum utility per unit
length of road is called saturation system. Hence this
system is called “maximum utility system”.
• Factors which are taken for obtaining utility per unit
length of road are:
- Population served by road network
- Productivity served by road network
a) Agricultural products
b) Industrial products
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Steps to find best road network by
saturation system
• Step 1- population units
The area under consideration consists of towns and villages in different population
range. It is required to group these into some convenient population ranges and to
assign some reasonable values of utility units to each range of population served.
For example: villages having population range between 1001 to 2000 may be
grouped together and we assigned one utility unit per village. Similarly, the various
villages and towns may be grouped into different population ranges and we assign
suitable utility units as given below.
Population less than 500, utility unit per village or town = 0.25
501-1000, utility unit per village or town = 0.5
1001-2000, utility unit per village or town =1
2001-5000, utility unit per village or town =2
The total number of units based on population can be obtained for each road system
proposals

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Steps to find best road network by
saturation system

• Step 2-productivity units

The total agricultural and industrial products served by
each road system should be worked out. The
productivity served may be assigned appropriate values
of utility units per unit weight.
For example: 1000 tons of agricultural products may be
considered equivalent to 1 unit. Similarly, the industrial
products may also be assigned suitable utility units per
unit weight. The total productivity units served by each
road system may be estimated.

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Steps to find best road network by
saturation system

• Step 3- utility units

The total units of each road system are found by adding
population units and productivity units. The total utility
units are divided by total length of each road system to
obtain the utility rate per unit length.

Utility unit per km length,

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Steps to find best road network by
saturation system Contd...

• Each road system having different layout and length

would show different values of utility per unit length.
The proposal which gives maximum utility per unit
length may be selected as final layout, with optimum
road length, based on maximum utility in saturation
system.

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Problem 1
There are 5 alternate proposals of road plan for a backward district. The
details are given below. Justify with reasons which proposal is the best.
Assuming utility units are 0.5,1,2,4 and 8. For the 5 population ranges and
1 and 5 per 1000 tons of agricultural and industrial products respectively.
Productivity in 1000
No. of towns and villages served with population range
Length tonnes
Proposal
km 2001- 5001- 10001-
<2000 >20000 Agricultural Industrial
5000 10000 20000
P 500 100 150 40 20 3 150 20
Q 600 200 250 68 28 3 220 25
R 700 270 350 82 36 4 300 35
S 800 280 410 91 41 4 400 42
T 900 290 430 96 44 4 430 45

Utility unit per km length,

Up = (100×0.5 + 150×1 + 40×2 + 20×4 + 3×8) + (150×1 + 20×5)/500 = 1.268 Utility unit /km
Uq = (200×0.5 + 250×1 + 68×2 + 28×4 + 3×8) + (220×1 + 25×5)/600 = 1.611 Utility unit /km
Ur = (270×0.5 + 350×1 + 82×2 + 36×4 + 4×8) + (300×1 + 35×5)/700 = 1.857 Utility unit /km
Us = (280×0.5 + 410×1 + 91×2 + 41×4 + 4×8) + (400×1 + 42×5)/800 = 1.922 Utility unit /km
Ut = (290×0.5 + 430×1 + 96×2 + 44×4 + 4×8) + (430×1 + 45×5)/900 = 1.811 Utility unit /km

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Problem 2
Three roads P, Q and R are to be constructed in a district during a five-year plan
period. Using the data given below, Justify with reasons which proposal is the
best. Assume utility units of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 for the three population ranges and
1per 1000 tonnes, 100 tonnes of agricultural and industrial products respectively.

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Phasing of road program

• The road network to be constructed and improved in the plan period while
finalising the master plan of road development project.
• The plan period may be long term, like 20-year-old plan or of short term 5-
year plan. But whatever be the plan period it is necessary to phase the road
development program from financial year consideration.
• In other words, it is necessary to fix the priorities for the construction of
each link of road network development program to decide which link should
be taken up first and which one is the next and so on.
• The phasing may also be done for each annual budget year hereby fixing up
the priorities. Here again the priority for each road link may be fixed
scientifically based on maximum utility.
• The utility per unit length of road based on population and productivity for
each road is worked out. Each link of network is listed in order of priority
based on utility per unit length of road.

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Four new road links A, B, C and D are to be constructed during a five year plan period.
Assume population units 0.5,1,2 and 4 and 1/1000 tons, 500 tons and 100 tonns of agricultural
and raw material and industrial products respectively. Find the order of priority for following
system of roads
No. Of towns and villages served with
Productivity in tonnes
Road Length population range
link km 501- 1001- Raw
<500 >2000 Agricultural Industrial
1000 2000 Material
A 70 30 18 8 3 8000 4000 1000
B 45 11 7 6 3 6000 1000 1600
C 65 23 7 5 5 4500 2000 3200
D 60 38 4 3 3 4000 6000 500

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Order of Priority Utility units/km Road proposal

1 1.37 C

2 1.344 B

3 1.24 A

4 1.03 D

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Third 20-year road development plan

• Third 20-year road development plan was finalised for the

1981-2001 and this plan document was published by the
year 1984. The third 20-year road development plan was
also called as Lucknow road plan.
Objectives and policies
• The future development should be based on revised
classification of road system. The revised classification is
as follows:
-Primary system: expressways and national highways.
-Secondary system: state highways and MDR.
-Tertiary system: Includes ODR and VR
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Third 20-year road development plan

• All villages with population over 500 should be

connected by all-weather roads.
• The overall road density should be increased to 82 km
per 100 sq. km area. In hilly areas of altitude up to 2100
m above mean sea level the road density should be 40
km/100 sq. km. In hilly areas of altitude above 2100m,
above mean sea level the road density should be 15 km
per 100 sq. km area.
• The National highway network should be expanded from
square grids of 100 km sides so that no part of country
is more than 50 km away from NH.
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Third 20-year road development plan

• The lengths of SH and MDR in a state should be decided

based on both areas and number of towns with
population above 5000.
• Expressway should be constructed along major traffic
corridors to provide fast travel.
• All towns and villages with population more than 1500
should be connected by MDR. All villages with population
between 1000 to 1500 should be connected by ODR.
There should be a rod within a distance of 3 km in plain
and 5km in hilly terrain connecting all villages with
population less than 500.
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Third 20-year road development plan

• Road should be built in less industrialised areas to

attract the growth of industries.
• Long term master plans for road development should be
prepared at various levels like taluk, district, state etc.
• Existing roads should be improved by rectifying defects
to achieve safety in traffic movement.
• There should be improvement in environmental quality.

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Determination of road length by third
20-year road plan

• Length of NH= Area/50

• Length of SH
– Based on area, SH = Area/25
– Based on No. of towns,
SH = 62.5× No. of towns - length of NH
Provide length SH = Higher of the two criteria

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Determination of road length by third
20-year road plan

• Length of MDR
– Based on area, MDR = Area/12.5
– Based on No. of towns, SH = 90× No. of towns
Provide length MDR = Higher of the two criteria
• Length of (ODR + VR)
Total length of roads = Area × Road Density
= Area × 82/100
Length of (ODR + VR) = Total length of roads – Length
of (NH + SH + MDR)

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Problem 1
Determine the length of different category of road in a
state in India by year 2001 using third 20-year road
development formula. Area of states=15000 sq.km,
number of towns=20, road density= 82km/100sq.km area.
Solution:
Length of NH= Area/50 =15000/50 =300 km
Length of SH
– Based on area, SH = Area/25 = 15000/25 = 600 km
– Based on No. of towns,
SH = 62.5× No. of towns - length of NH
= 62.5 × 20 – 300 = 950 km > 1200 km
‫؞‬Provide length of SH = 950km (Higher of the two criteria)

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Length of MDR
Based on area, MDR = Area/12.5 = 15000/12.5 = 1200 km
Based on No. of towns,
MDR = 90 × No. of towns
= 90 × 20 = 1800 km > 1200 km
Provide length of MDR = 1800 km (Higher of the two
criteria)
Length of ODR + VR
Total length of roads = Area × Road Density
= 1500 × 82/100 = 12300 km
Length of (ODR+VR) = Total length of roads – Length of
(NH+SH+MDR)
= 12300 - (300+950+1800) = 9250 km
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Problem 2
Determine the length of different category of road in India by the year
2001 using third 20-year road development formula for following data
Total area of state=308000 sq.km
Number of towns as per 1981 census=276
Number of villages as per 1981 census=41833
Solution:
Length of NH= Area/50 =308000/50 =6160 km
Length of SH
Based on area, SH = Area/25 = 308000/25 = 12320 km
Based on No. of towns,
SH = 62.5× No. of towns - length of NH
= 62.5 × 276 – 6160 = 11090 km< 12320 km
‫؞‬Provide length of SH = 12320 km (Higher of the two criteria)
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Length of MDR
Based on area, MDR = Area/12.5 = 308000/12.5 = 24640 km
Based on No. of towns,
MDR = 90 × No. of towns
= 90 × 276 = 24840 km > 24640 km
Provide length of MDR= 24840 km (Higher of the two criteria)
Length of ODR + VR
Total length of roads = 4.74 × (No.of Towns+No. of Villages)
= 4.74 × (276+41833) = 199597
km
Length of (ODR+VR) = Total length of roads – Length of
(NH+SH+MDR)
=199597 - (6160 + 12320 + 24840) = 156277 km
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Problem 3
For the following data find the road length as per III plan
Area of district =10500 sq.km
Number of towns =20

Length of NH= Area/50 = 10500 /50 =210 km

Length of SH
Based on area, SH = Area/25 = 10500 /25 = 420 km
Based on No. of towns,
SH = 62.5× No. of towns - length of NH
= 62.5 × 20 – 210 = 1040 km> 420 km
‫؞‬Provide length of SH = 1040 km (Higher of the two criteria)

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Length of MDR
Based on area, MDR = Area/12.5 = 10500 /12.5 = 840 km
Based on No. of towns,
MDR = 90 × No. of towns
= 90 × 20 = 1800 km > 840 km
Provide length of MDR= 1800 km (Higher of the two criteria)
Length of ODR + VR
Total length of roads = Area × Road Density
= 10500 × 82/100 = 8610 km
Length of (ODR+VR) = Total length of roads – Length of
(NH+SH+MDR)
= 8610 - (210 + 1040 + 1800) = 5560 km

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