CE PC 313 - MIDTERM EXAM

1. The length of the sag curve having grades of -2.5% and +3.5% is equal to 310 m.
a. Compute the length of the head lamp sight distance if the head lamps are 0.80 m. above the road surface and
their beams tilts upward at an angle of 1.2 degrees above the longitudinal axis of the car. (Ans. 404.76 m)
b. Compute the max. speed of the car passing thru sag curve. (Ans. 142.86 kph)
c. Determine the perception reaction time in seconds if the coefficient of friction between the road pavement
and tires is 0.25. (Ans. 2.11 sec)
2. A forward tangent of +6% was designed to intersect a back tangent of -3% at a proposed underpass along
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue so as to maintain a minimum clearance allowed under a bridge which crosses
perpendicular to the underpass. A 200 m curve lies on the side of the back tangent while a 100 m. curve lies on
the side of the forward tangent. The stationing and elevation of the grade intersection is 12 +530.20 and 10 m.
respectively. The center line of the bridge falls at station 12 +575.20. The elevation of the underside of the bridge
is 117.48.
a. Determine the clearance of the ridge at the left side if it has a width of 10 m. (Ans. 14 m)
b. Determine the clearance of the bridge at the right side. (Ans. 13.73)
c. Determine the clearance of the bridge at the center of the bridge. (Ans. 13.87 m)
3. A car weighing 60 kN moves a certain speed around a circular curve causing a centrifugal force which tends to
pull the car away from the center of the curve at a magnitude equal to 15 kN
a. Compute the equivalent centrifugal ratio. (Ans. 0.25)
b. What is the max, speed that this car could maneuver on the curve so that it will not overturn if the curve has
a radius of 280 m? (Ans. 94.34 kph)
c. What would be the design super elevation per meter to prevent sliding or overturning if the friction factor is
0.12? (Ans. 0.13 m/m)
4. At station 95 + 220, the center height of the road is 4.5 m. cut, while at station 95 + 300, it is 2.6 m. fill. The
ground between station 95 + 220 to the other station has a uniform slope of – 6%.
a. What is the grade of the road or the finished roadway in fill? (Ans. 2.9%)
b. How far in meters, from station 95 + 300 toward station 95 + 200 will the filling extend? (Ans. 29.44%)
c. At what station will the filling extend? (Ans. 95 + 270.56)
5. The soil sample was obtained from the project site and the CBR test was conducted at the field. The sample with
the same subgrade imposed upon it is then subjected to a penetration test by a piston plunger 5 cm. diameter
moving a certain speed. The CBR value of a standard crushed rock for 2.5 mm penetration is 70.45 kg/cm 2. The
sample was subjected to a load of 83 kg. and it produces a penetration of 2.5 mm.
a. Compute the CBR value in percent of the soil sample using the formula CBR = Stress (kg/cm 2) x 100%/(CBR
value at 2.5 mm penetration). (Ans. 6%)
b. Using the soil for a subgrade of a pavement, determine the thickness of the pavement when a wheel load of
3000 kg with a tire pressure of 8 kg/cm2 is imposed on the subgrade. Use U.S. Corps of Engineers formula
which is t = (√w) x [(1.75/CBR %) – (1/Pπ)] 1/2. Where w is the wheel load and p is the tire pressure. (Ans. 27.58
cm).
c. If the pavement is made up of concrete, determine the spacing between construction joints for an 8 m. width
of a two lane roadway if the coefficient of friction between the subgrade and pavement is 0.15. Allowable
tensile stress of concrete is 0.8 kg/cm2. Assume weight of concrete slab to be 2400 kg/m 3. (Ans. 4.44 cm)