Pavement Widening

1
Extra widening

• Extra widening refers to the additional width of carriageway that is

required on a curved section of a road over and above that required
on a straight alignment.
• This widening is done due to two reasons:
• the first and most important is the additional width required for a vehicle
taking a horizontal curve and
• the second is due to the tendency of the drivers to ply away from the edge of
the carriageway as they drive on a curve.
• The first is referred as the mechanical widening and the second is
called the psychological widening. These are discussed in detail
below.

2
 Mechanical widening
•The reasons for the mechanical widening are:
• When a vehicle negotiates a horizontal curve, the rear wheels follow a path of
shorter radius than the front wheels.
• This phenomenon is called off-tracking, and has the effect of increasing the
effective width of a road space required by the vehicle.
• Therefore, to provide the same clearance between vehicles traveling in
opposite direction on curved roads as is provided on straight sections, there
must be extra width of carriageway available.
• This is an important factor when high proportion of vehicles are using the road.
• Trailor trucks also need extra carriageway, depending on the type of joint.
• In addition speeds higher than the design speed causes transverse skidding
which requires additional width for safety purpose.

3
 Offtracking

• Offtracking is the
characteristics, common to
all vehicles, although much
more pronounced with the
larger design vehicles, in
which the rear wheels do
not follow precisely the
same path as the front
wheels when the vehicle
negotiates a horizontal
curve or makes a turn.

4
Fig. 2-10
 Offtracking

• Rear wheels do not follow path of front wheels

• Increases with size of vehicle
• Decreases with radius of curve
Formulas for Pavement widening

6
Rear Over Hang
Front Over Hang, FA

WB(L)

7
Psychological widening

• Widening of pavements has to be done for some psychological

reasons also.
• There is a tendency for the drivers to drive close to the edges of the
pavement on curves.
• Some extra space is to be provided for more clearance for the
crossing and overtaking operations on curves.

8
9
 Derivation of Design Values for Widening on
H-curves: U, C, FA, FB, and Z
U is the track width that includes
off-tracking effect. [Eq. 3-31]

L Offtracking value
u = normal track width
R = turning radius of the outer front
wheel.
Li = wheelbase

u
Use of the Pythagorean
theorem.

For an articulated vehicle, each of the articulation points is used to determine U. For
example, a tractor/semitrailer combination truck has three Li values that are considered:
(1) the distance from the front axle to the tractor drive axle(s), (2) from the tractor drive
axle(s) to the fifth wheel pivot [the kingpin], and (3) the distance from the fifth wheel pivot
10
to the rear axle(s). P.3-86.
U, C, FA, Z

• U = Track with of
design vehicle
(out-to-out tires)
• C = Lateral clearance
• FA = Width of front
overhand of inner-lane
vehicle
• Z = Extra width
allowance 11
 Eq. 3-32 in p. 3-86

A = front overhang of inner lane vehicle, ft;

L = wheelbase of single unit or tractor, ft.
RT = radius of curve or turn
Fig. 3-18

In the case of tractor-trailer

combinations, only the wheelbase
of the tractor unit is used for
12
determining Fa.
Traveled way
widening on
H-curves (p.3-91)
(considering offtracking for multiple
vehicles)

(3-34)

With 12-ft lanes and high-type

alignment, the need for widening has
lessened considerably in spite of
high speeds, but for some conditions
of speed, curvature, and width it
remains appropriate to widen
13
traveled ways.
Lateral clearance (C) and allowance for the
difficulty of driving on curves (Z)
• C provides for the clearance between the edge of the traveled way and
nearest wheel path and for the body clearance between vehicles passing
or meeting. C = 2 , 2.5, and 3 ft for Wn = 20, 22, and 24 ft). (note: there is
no chart for C.)

• Z is an empirical values for the extra

width allowance to compensate for the
difficulty in maneuvering. v = design
speed, mph. R = radius in ft [Eq. 3-33].
Extra distance between opposing vehicles
(only one Z is added. See Eq. 3-35).
• E.g. Z = 60 mph/sqrt(1000 ft) = 1.9 ft

14
 Curve Width (Wc)

(3-35)

The WB-62 design vehicle

is considered representative
for two-lane open-highway
conditions in GB2011.

15
GB2011 Table
3-26b

16
Application of Widening on Curves
(p.3-95)
• On simple (unspiraled) curves, widening should be applied on the inside
edge of the traveled way OR divided equally on either side of the center
line. On spiraled curves, widening may be applied on the inside edge or
divided equally on either side of the centerline.
• Preferably, widening should transition over the superelevation runoff
length.
• From the standpoint of usefulness and appearance, the edge of the traveled
way through the widening transition should be a smooth, graceful curve.
• On highway alignment without spirals, smooth and fitting alignment results
from attaining widening one-half to two-thirds of the transition length along
the tangent and the balance along the curve.

17
PC
Turn Paths
• Key variables in turn paths
• Centerline turn radius
• Out-to-out track
• Wheelbase
• Path of inner tire
Dimensions of Design Vehicles
Turn Paths
• Key variables in turn paths
• Centerline turn radius
• Out-to-out track
• Wheelbase
• Path of inner tire
• See Autoturn Software Page
http://www.transoftsolutions.com/transoft/products/at42/product_
overview.asp#
Minimum
Turning Radii
Front Overhang and Difficulty Adjustment (Z)
• Radial distance between outside front wheel path
and outside front bumper/fender

• Extra width allowance (Z) for difficulty in

maneuvering
 Wb-19- refer to table 3-26 a
Data
Wn 7.2m
V 50Kmph
R 110m

Lisquare 191.9057li
L 19.2 5.94
u 2.6 12.5
Front,A 1.22 0.61
rear 1.37 19.05
C 0.9 0.75 0.9
Formulas 0.75
N 2

U 3.475785
FA 0.219492 0.476731
Z #VALUE!
Wc 9.45
W 2.247793 7.372762

25
Total widening recommended (includes front overhang, offtracking and
difficulty adj.)

Double for 4 ln undivided. Values less that 2’ may be

neglected.
GB2011
Table 3-27
adjustment
values

WB62 was
used to create
Table 3-26b.

28
Class problem

Q1- obtain the widening of WB-12 VEHICLE