Definition of Terms Classifications of signs

• Traffic Signs - device mounted on a fixed support (permanent Signs are classified in the following groups according to their use.
signs) or portable support (temporary signs) whereby a specific • Regulatory Signs
message is conveyed • Warning Signs
by means of words or symbols placed or erected for the purpose • Guide Signs or Informative Sign
of regulating, warning or guiding traffic. • Signs for Expressways
• Regulatory Signs - signs that inform road users of traffic laws • Signs for Special Purposes
and regulations which, if disregarded, will constitute an offense. • Hazard Markers
• Special Instruction Signs - signs that instruct road users to meet
certain traffic rule requirements or road condition Uniformity of application is as important as standardization with
• Warning Signs - warn road users of condition on or adjacent to respect to design and placement. Identical conditions should
the road that may be unexpected or hazardous always be treated with the same type of signs so that road users
• Guide Signs (Informative Signs) - inform and advice road users can readily anticipate the course of action required.
of directions, distance, routes, the location of services, and points
of interests To be effective, the road sign should meet the five basic
• Roadwork Signs - warn or advise of temporary hazardous requirements:
conditions that could endanger road users or the men and • Fulfill a need
equipment engaged on roadwork • Command attention
• Overhead Signs - signs which provide means of displaying • Convey a clear, simple message
essential traffic information on wide multi-lane roads, where some • Command respect; and
degree of lane use control is required, or where side-of-road • Give adequate time for proper response
clearance is insufficient to accommodate a
road side sign It should be noted that when all sign rules have been followed,
• Barriers - highway appurtenances designed to prevent vehicular some visual judgment must be exercised in adjusting sign
penetration from the travel way to areas behind the barrier such elements. The following general rules are to be applied when
as to minimize damage to impacting vehicles and their occupants, designing the sign face.
and to reduce the risk of injuries to pedestrians and workers • Cramping of legend is to be avoided;
• Flashing Lamps - warning devices used to supplement other • Avoid large areas of blank panel, particularly blank areas not
controls and devices necessary to alert motorists of construction symmetrically disposed across the panel;
and maintenance activities or obstructions in the roadway. • If there are two list of legends side by side (e.g., as on
• Delineators - light retro-reflecting devices mounted at the side of Reassurance Signs) it is necessary to left justify the left list and
the roadway, in series, to indicate the roadway alignment. right justify the right list; and,
• Traffic Cones - devices which may be conical in shape or tubular- • Elements such as arrows and symbols may sometimes have to be
shaped capable of performing channelization of traffic which may larger than the principal legend would normally require. For
be set on the surface of the roadway or rigidly attached for example, an arrow relates to several lines of legends on a direction
continued use sign
• Temporary Curbing - roadwork devices consisting of pre-cast
concrete sections, sandbag, and others which, may be used to Classification of Regulatory Signs
guide traffic at the construction site. • Priority Signs
• Flexible Post or Bollard - device used in place of rigid barrier • Direction Signs
posts or traffic cones with a minimum of 450 mm by 50 mm wide • Prohibitive or Restrictive Signs
with alternate bands of contrasting color as seen by approaching • Speed Signs
traffic for delineation of traffic. • Parking Signs
• Miscellaneous Signs
The standard colors for signs are as follows:
Red is used as a background for STOP signs, as border color on Four Sizes for Regulatory Signs
GIVE WAY signs, warning signs and prohibitive signs in the • Size A for urban low speed roads;
regulatory type. • Size B for rural roads with speed limits between 60 and 70 kph;
Black is used as legend color for signs having white, yellow, orange, • Size C for high speed rural highways’ multi-lane urban roads
fluorescent orange, fluorescent yellow green background • Size D for Expressways
and as chevron for hazard makers.
Yellow is used as background color for road signs. Classification of Warning Signs
White is the background color for most signs and legends for some • Horizontal Alignment Signs
colored background. • Intersection and Junction Signs
Fluorescent Yellow Green is used as background color for signs • Advance Warning of Traffic Control Device Signs
related to pedestrian movement, school zones, and road • Road Width Signs
work hazard markers to give additional emphasis and • Road Obstacle Signs
guidance to vehicle operators. • Pedestrian and School Signs
Fluorescent Orange is used as background color for roadwork • Railway Level Crossing
signs whose legends relate to personal working. • Supplementary Signs
Green is used as background color for direction signs. • Other Warning Signs
Blue is used as background color for service signs.
Brown is reserved as background color for all tourist facility
directional and information signs.
Signs in Directional Signing series are usually classified into four
categories:
• Those installed in advance of the intersection.
• Those installed at the intersection.
• Those on departure from the intersection.
• Those installed on expressways.
Classification of Guide Signs
• Advance Direction Sign
• Intersection Direction Sign
• Reassurance Direction Sign
• Finger Board Direction Sign
• Street Name Signs
• Town Name and Geographical Feature Signs
• Service Signs
• Tourist Information and Tourist Destination Signs
• Route Markers
One-Way hazard markers indicate to the approaching driver the
direction to be followed if the marker appears in the driving path.
They may point to the left or right as appropriate and are used as
follows:
• To delineate an abrupt narrowing of pavement, for example, at a
lane drop;
• At exposed ends of raised median islands where traffic is
required to pass to
one side;
• On central island of a roundabout facing entering traffic; and
• To delineate the curve approach just prior to entering an
intersection.
Pavement markings have definite limitations:
• They are subject to traffic wear and require proper maintenance;
• They may not be clearly visible if the road is wet or dusty;
• They may be obscured by traffic;
• Their effect on skid resistance requires careful choice of
materials; and
• They cannot be applied on unsealed roads.
The elements to consider when planning Expressways are:
• No frontage access;
• Development set well back from the highway;
• Grade separated intersections for extremely high flows and other
intersectingexpressways;
• Number of intersections to be minimized and
• Where necessary or for emergency purposes, parking/stopping
to be provided clear of the main carriageway.
The elements to consider when planning National Roads are:
• Limited frontage access
• Development set well back from the highway
• All access to premises provided via provincial roads
• Number of intersections to be minimized
• Suitable at-grade channelized intersections for minor flows and
other
elements
• No roadside vendors
Color of Pavement Markings
The color of pavement markings shall be white except for the
alternative uses of
yellow as specified below:
• Double yellow no-passing lines;
• Unbroken portion of no-passing lines;
• Curb markings for prohibition of parking;
• On islands in line of traffic;
• Bus and PUJ lanes; and,
• Keep Intersection Open markings
Red shall be used in:
• No Loading/Unloading Zone; and
• Fire lane zone
Design Speed
The choice of an appropriate design speed for a road project is
important to ensure a safe design.
When choosing a design speed, the following factors need to be
considered:
• Function of the road
• Anticipated operating speed
• Anticipated speed limit
Warrants for Marking Center Lines
A center line may be marked on an urban or rural road if one or
more of the following conditions are met:
• Two lane road (greater than 6 m in width) carrying an Annual
Average Daily Traffic (ADT) in excess of 1000 vehicles;
• Two lane road (less than 6 m but more than 5 m in width)
carrying an ADT in excess of 300 vehicles; and
• Winding roads with widths of 5 m or more.
Barrier lines may consist of either:
• Two unbroken yellow lines;
• Single unbroken yellow line; or,
• Single yellow line with a broken white line.
The following are the cases where barrier lines should be used:
• As center lines on approaches to signalized intersections;
• As center lines of multi-lane roads where overtaking must be
prohibited, because of sign restrictions;
• ‘No-Passing’ zones where there is a restricted sight distance due
to horizontal or vertical curves, or both; and
• As center lines on approaches to railway crossings
Warrants for Use
Because of the high cost of installation and maintenance, use of
raised pavement markers may be considered only in the following
condition:
• In hilly areas where fog and rain are frequently the causes of
traffic accidents; and
• In winding roads and accident prone areas.
The provision of safety sight distance depends on the
characteristics of the driver such as:
• Alertness of driver
• Recognition of the hazard
• Actions available to the driver – to stop or to change direction
The provision of safety sight distance depends on the
characteristics of the vehicle such as:
• Type of vehicle – car or truck
• Friction between the tire and the road
• Eye height of the driver
• Speed of vehicles
The provision of safety sight distance depends on the
characteristics of the road environment such as:
• Road geometry – grade and curvature sight limitations
• Road surface – sealed or unsealed, smooth or rough
• Road illumination at night
Each type of sight distance consists of three elements:
• Driver Eye Height
• Object Height
• Sight Distance
There are two components in stopping sight distance: PORTS AND HARBORS
• Reaction distance – the distance traveled while the driver • Harbor - A protected water area to provide safe and
perceives a suitable accommodation for ships for the transfer of
hazard, decides to take action, then acts by starting to apply the cargo, refueling, repairs, etc. Harbors may be subdivided
brakes to into:
start slowing down; and a. Natural harbors: harbors protected from
• Braking distance – the distance required for the vehicle to slow storms and waves by the natural configuration
down and of the land.
stop b. Semi-natural harbors: harbors with both
natural and artificial protection.
Four different criteria used for the establishment of sag vertical c. Artificial harbors: harbors protected from the
curves: effect of waves by means of breakwaters, or
• Headlight sight distance harbors created by dredging.
• Passenger comfort
• Drainage control • Port – A sheltered place where the ship may receive or
• General appearance discharge cargo. It includes the harbor with its approach
channels and anchorage places. Ports may be subdivided
PPA has used MLLW as the datum line for design of port facilities into:
in accordance with charts. But there are many ports of which low a. Ocean ports: ports located on coasts, tidal
tide go down very often below MLLW. estuaries or river mouths where the port can be
reached directly by ocean-going ships.
For instance: (Port Cebu) b. Inland waterway ports: ports located on
According to the tide table (1991) of NAMRIA, the frequency of navigable rivers, channels and lakes.
tide below MLLW is 213 times/year and the maximum amount of
the value is -0.51 m. Under this condition it is dangerous for ships • Fairway - a navigable channel in a harbor, offshore etc;
to utilize the port. the usual course taken by vessels in such places.

Shoulder paving is a valuable method of providing:

• Integrity of the pavement • Berth - A place where the ship can moor. In the case of a
• Width to place edgeline pavement markings quay or jetty structure, it will include the section of the
• Additional safety to prevent vehicles skidding or drivers losing structure where labor, equipment and cargo move to and
control in gravel. from the ship.
• Low maintenance costs compared with unpaved shoulders
• Berth structure - An artificial landing place for the
Element of Berthing Facility: loading and unloading of ships. Berth structures can be
• Planned Water Depth subdivided into:
• Design Water Depth a. Wharf - A continuous structure built parallel to
• Coping/Crown Elevation along the margin of the sea or alongside
• Length - Standard Part, Approach Part riverbanks, canals, or waterways where vessels
• Width of Apron may lie alongside to receive or discharge cargo,
• Slope of Apron embark or disembark passengers or lie at rest.

There are four types of escape ramps: Quay – this term can be substituted to wharf
• Sand Pile when applied to great solid structures in large
• Descending Grade ports.
• Horizontal Grade
• Ascending Grade In stability calculation of gravity type quaywall,
the following matters should be examined:
Types of intersections that generally exist on the road network (a) Sliding of the wall
are: (b) Bearing capacity of foundation
• Unflared and unchannelized intersections (without widening or (c) Overturning of the wall
traffic islands) (d) Circular slip and settlement
• Flared and unchannelized intersections (with widening but
without traffic islands) and b. Pier – Any structure built into the sea but not
• Channelized intersections (traffic islands to guide traffic) parallel to the coastline and includes any stage,
stair landing place, landing stage jetty, floating
Principles of good design to reduce the likelihood of traffic barge, and pontoon, any bridge or other works
accidents connected there with.
include:
• Minimize the speed of vehicles at potential collision points Jetty – a landing stage or small pier at which
•Separate movements and points of conflict by channelization, or boats can dock or be moored.
in some situations, prohibit certain movements (and provide for
them at other c. Dolphin: a berth structure for mooring the ship
intersections along the route) on the open sea; An isolated piled or gravity
• Control movements to reduce the possibility of conflict and structure used either to maneuver a ship or to
• Clearly define vehicle paths by use of pavement markings facilitate holding it in position at its berth.
• Dry Dock – a type of dock consisting of a rectangular
basin dug into the shore of a body of water and provided
with a removable enclosure wall or gate on the side
toward the water, used for major repairs and overhaul of
vessels.
Wave Shoaling shoaling is one of the important factors
that lead to changing of the wave height in
coastal waters. It exemplifies the fact that
the wave height in shallow waters is also
governed by the water depth and wave
period.

• Waves Wave Breaking At places where the water depth is no

more than about three times the equivalent
Significant Wave (significant wave height H1/3 and deepwater wave height decreases rapidly of
significant wave period T1/3) the wave height due to wave breaking shall
be considered.
The waves in a wave group are rearranged in
the order of their heights and the highest one-
third are selected; the significant wave is then • Tides and Abnormal Water Level
the hypothetical wave whose height and period Astronomical tide is the periodic rise and fall of sea level
are the mean height and period of the selected in response to the gravitational attraction of the sun and
waves. moon as modified by the earth’s rotation. The essential
parameters to characterize the tide are:
Highest Wave (highest wave height Hmax and highest a. Mean Sea Level (MSL) – is the average of the sea
period Tmax) is the highest wave in a wave water surface for all stages of the tide over a 19-
group. year period.
b. Mean Low Water (MWL) – is the height of the
Highest One-Tenth Wave (H1/10, T1/10) is the wave whose low water over a 19-year period.
height and period are equal to the mean c. Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) – is the
height and period of the highest one-tenth average height of the lower low waters over a
of the waves in a wave group. 19-year period.
d. Mean High Water (MHW) – is the average
height of the high waters over a 19-year period.
Mean wave (mean wave height H , mean period T ) is
e. Mean Higher High Water (MHHW) – is the
the wave whose height and period are equal
average height of the higher high water over a
to the mean height and period of all of the
19-year period.
waves in a wave group.
Storm Surge is abnormal rise of the sea level that occurs
Deepwater Waves (deepwater wave height H0 and
when a typhoon passes by. This rise above
deepwater wave period T0) is the wave at a
normal level on this open coast is due to
place where the water depth is at least one-
atmosphere pressure reduction as well as
half of the wavelength; the wave
that due to wind stress.
parameters are expressed with those of the
significant wave at this place.
Tsunamis are wave with an extremely long period that
mainly occur when there is a sudden large-
Equivalent Deepwater Wave Height (H0’) is a
scale sea floor movement usually associated
hypothetical wave height that has been
severe, shallow focus earthquake.
corrected for the effects of planar
Seiche is a phenomenon involving abnormal oscillations of the
topographic changes such as refraction and
water level with a period of approximately a few minutes to a few
diffraction; it is expressed with the
tens of minutes. It occurs when small fluctuations of the water
significant wave height.
level are generated by micro-scale variations of the atmospheric
pressure by an air front or a low pressure in the outer sea, and the
Wave Refraction occurs in intermediate depth to shallow
components of those oscillations whose period is the same as a
waters. The change in wave height and
natural period of the harbor are amplified through resonance.
wave direction due to the change in local
wave velocity caused in water depth.

Wave Diffraction is a phenomenon whereby waves wheel

into region that is screened by something
like a breakwater.

Wave Reflection the waves reflected from port and

harbor facilities can exercise a large
influence on the navigation of vessels and
cargo handling. For example, waves
reflected from vertical breakwaters can
cause disturbances in navigation channels,
and multiple reflected waves from
quaywalls can cause agitations within
harbors.