Republic of the Philippines

BILIRAN PROVINCE STATE UNIVERSITY

(formerly Naval State University)
ISO 9001: 2015 CERTIFIED
School of Engineering

Wendelyn P. Garcia, BSCE 3A

Highway and Railroad Engineering

1) Explain how to find the exact size of the carriage way of pavement.

 In highway and railroad engineering there are various types of carriage way of
pavement and each type has distinct specified sizes which are also based on some
considerations;
a) Size of traffic lanes (factors considered in determining the size of
traffic lanes; width of vehicles and clearances)
b) Number of lanes

The maximum permissible width of vehicle is 2.44m, and desirable side clearance for
single lane traffic is 0.68m, and 0.53m on both side and 1.06m in the center for the side
clearance of a two way lane.

According to the IRC Specification for carriage way width:

Single Lane 3.75 m

Two Lane, no kerbs 7.0 m
Two Lane, raised kerbs 7.5 m
Intermediate Carriage 5.5 m
Multi-lane 3.5 m

2) Explain the advantages of using median/traffic separator.

 Median separators are basically road barrier that reduces accidents between two
opposing road streams and prevents vehicles from passing or travelling into
opposing traffic lanes. They are also used to limit turning options for vehicles, making
it a lot easier and safer for the driver. In summary, median separators are considered
safety barriers utilized in order to reduce accidents, prevent dangerous overtaking,
and shift turning movements to safer locations.

3) Discuss what you learned all about pavement design.

 From the overall discussion, the things that I have learned about pavement design
are; the process on which the design is made, the various specifications to be
considered when building or designing roadways such as the DPWH Standard
Specifications, etc. as well as the materials to consider in constructing the pavement
(Portland cement, aggregates) that follows fundamental guidelines to obtain good
concrete.
4) & 5) What is the importance and purpose of soil survey?

 Soil survey is the process of investigating soil properties, type and conditions, as well
as the evaluation of the soils’ location, etc. It is considered as the preliminary step in
the construction of roadways and is an integral part of highway reconnaissance. Its
purpose is to guide engineers, architects or road planners for making land use
decisions, especially in determining the characteristic of soil as a foundation beneath
some structures such as bridges, buildings, dams and roads. In highway
engineering, the data gathered in the survey are used as basis for the construction of
effective and long term roadways. It is also necessary to ensure that these road
projects are efficiently located, designed and constructed.

6) Why is it important to plan the highway?

 For every proposed road projects, it is essential that these projects follow a thorough
planning and discussion between professionals in this field. It is a basic requirement
for ensuring a better highway networks. Thus, the purpose of planning roadways and
highways is to ensure that the plan is technically, financially and environmentally
feasible. It is important to plan the design of roadways since it is in this phase that
the location and quality of the highway and its impacts on people’s living conditions
and the environment is determined.

7) Differentiate the classifications of urban roads.

 Urban roads are classified according to their functions and location. These
classifications entirely differ in their means of accessibility and speed.
 Expressways are movement for heavy volume of traffic.
 Arterial streets connects central areas to the expressways
 Sub-arterial streets, it has the same function as the arterial streets but with less
spacing
 Collector streets, collection and distribution of traffic through local streets
 Local streets, access of private properties like residences, shops and industries.

8) What do you think is the importance of highway and railroad engineering in the improvement
and development of the society?

 Basically, highway and railroad engineering presents underlying principles for the
design and control of the elements of road and railroad infrastructures. Its importance
in the improvement and development of the society is that it helped develop the
entire world. As the society grew over time the need of this specialization has also
come to arise, which led to various innovations, researches, and advancement for an
efficient use of transportation resources. A variety of engineering and management
skills, including the design, and operations are significantly needed in this area. In
short, the role or the importance of highway and railroad engineering is to protect the
environment while providing mobility, to preserve scarce resources while assuring
economic activity, and to assure safety.