UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE B.Sc. (Engineering) Honors — Level 1V ‘TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES MAY 2016 Engin. CE 407 Answer any Four Questions Time allowed 3 hours Each question carries 25 marks Start each question on a new page This examination paper consists of 6 pages. QUESTION 1 A Two-Phase intersection should to be controlled by traffic signals. It is located at eross layout Junction of two-way streets in the Central Business District at a design speed of 70knv/h, Street ‘A has three lanes by 3.0m per direction and is running in East-West orientation. Street B has two lanes by 3.5m per direction and is in North-South orientation. a) Compute the optimum cycle of the Two-Phase intersection controlled by traffic signals. The traffic flows are almost entirely of passenger cars in straight directions and they have been converted into passenger car units, The traffic on Street A from East approach is 1600pewh and from West is 2000pewh. The traffic on Street B from North approach is 1200pcwh and from South is 1500peub. The intergreen Interval is calculated to be 6seconds. The drivers’ perception-reaction time is assumed to be 1.Sseconds. Round your computations to 1/100, and explain all steps (14 marks) b) Sct the intervals of the two phases and draw the time diagram. (6 marks) ©) Check on the volume adequacy and comment on your design, (S marks) QUESTION 2 a) Three consecutive intersections A, B and C along a major street are coordinated. The key intersection is A. The distances from A to B and from B to C are 300m each. The design speed of the street is 60km/h but the operational speed to be used is 54km/h, Determine the signal status of all intersections at times T = 105, 150, 158 and 400s after a reference time T=0, given that the cycles and the intervals are as follows: 10f6QUESTION 2 continues... Intersection | Green [Amber [Red | Cycle A 35 3 50, 90, B 45 i 40 90 ee 40 5 45, 90, (12 marks) b) Define and explain the term “Signal off-set” in reference to coordination of two and more signal controlled intersections. (S marks) ©) Define the term “Through band’ and explain the relationship between the through band and the headway of the vehicles using a street of coordinated signal controlled intersections. Give some examples. (8 marks) QUESTION 3 4) Apply the Gravity Model to determine the trip distribution between the three (3) zones of a smalll town. The zones have mixed developments and the numbers of produced trips, their attractiveness factors and the assigned relevant socio-economic factors by environmental qualities are given in Table Q3-1. Table Q3-2 shows the zones impedances based on distances and trip facilities. Table Q3-1. Trip production and factors Zone | Number of | Attractive- | Socio- produced | ness | economic trips Pi_| factor Ai_|_ factor ki Zi_| 6000 2 O8 Z| s000 | 3 0.5 Z_| 3000 2 1.0 Table Q3-2. Impedances 3]Z1 [z2 [z3 I Zi_[z{3 {3 Z2 3 [2 [4 Z3 3 [4 [2 Compute the trip distribution using one iteration with a calibration constant ¢ = 2 and an accuracy of 1/100. (14 marks) 2of6JUESTION 3 cont ues... b) Create the Trip Summary Table and comment on the results. In your comments use the correct fundamental terms of “a trip” and “a home based trip” and explain their meaning. ( marks) ©) Suggest two transportation options for serving the highest trip demand between two zones based on two different systems (for example minibus capacity 15pp and ordinary bus capacity SOpp) and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the systems, if the morning peak period is 1.Shours and a round trip is 30 minutes, (6 marks) QUESTION 4 a) Write short notes on the following terms in relation to railway engineering: () Ruling Gradient (ii) Pusher Gradient (ii) Momentum Gradient (iv) Negative Super-elevation (8 marks) b) Discuss the major elements of the permanent way of a railway system, draw a sketch to support your discussion and give examples: (i) Rails Section Gi) Sleepers Gii) Ballast (9 marks) ©) The number of crossing (N) is the ratio of the spread of the leg of crossing to the length of crossing measured from the theoretical nose or cotangent of the angle of crossing. For passenger turnout N = 12. Assume gauge G = 1.067m. The heel divergence (d) is 12cm, Calculate the following: (i) Curve Lead (CL) (i) Outer Radius (R) (iii) Switeh Lead (SL) (8 marks) 30f6QUESTIO! An airport runway pavement is to be designed for the forecast traffic given in Table Q5-1. Table Q5-1. Forecast traffic Gear Type Forecast. | Max. Take-off ‘Runway Aircraft Annual | Weight, kg Pavement Departures ‘Thickness, cm 727-100_| Dual 5.600 72.600 41 727-200 [Dual_____|_12800 86 500 a7 707-320B | Dual Tandem 6500 148 500 45 DC-9-30_| Dual 8.600 49 000 38 CV-880_[Dual Tandem 1200 [84000 36 a) Use the given data and determine the design aircraft (4 marks) b) Calculate the equivalent annual departures of the design aircraft and show your calculation results in a tabular form. Table Q5-2. Conversion of Annual Departures To convert from To | Multiply departures b) Dual Tandem Dual Wheel 17 Double Dual Tandem | Dual Wheel 17 Consider Table Q5-2 and use the following formula to convert given data into the equivalent annual departures of the design aircraft: Log Ri = Log Ra * (W2/Wi)!? Where: Rj = Equivalent Annual Departures by the design aircraft Ro= Annual Departures expressed in design aircraft loading gear Wi: Wheel Load of design aircraft Wa + Wheel load of aircraft in question (14 arks) ©) Determine the runway thickness of flexible pavement using FIG.QS - A, if the CBR values of the subgrade and the sub-base are 5 and 20 respectively. Briefly explain the advantage of flexible pavement for airport runways. Advise on the possible pavement thickness of the taxiway. (7 marks) 4o0f6QUESTION 6 a) b) State the objectives of the Marshall Mix Design Method. Discuss the engineering properties of a highway surface designed by the method and expected to carry considerably heavy traffic flows. Suggest values of binder content for maximum density and stability or a mean value in percentage. (10 marks) Briefly explain the properties of premix asphalt surfacing (called “asphaltic or bituminous concrete”) which are mostly appreciated by the highway users. (marks) In relation to bituminous premix design and production explain concisely how unsatisfactory mixes, resulting from the following causes, may be identified: () Excess bitumen Gi) Lack of bitumen (iii) Overheated bitumen (iv) Excess moisture (v) Poor grading (10 marks) 50f6FIG. Q5-A CBR 3:94 5 6 78910 15 20 30 40 50 : 1 iI DUAL WHEEL GEAR THICKNESS HOT MIX ASPHALT SURFACES 4-IN. CRITICAL AREAS ‘S-IN NONCRITICAL AREAS 3 4 5 6 78910 15 20 30 40 50 783 THICKNESS, IN. j i i i END OF THIS EXAMINATION 6 0f6