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Tutorial 33290 Highway Design and Analysis May 2019

Civil engineering (University of Salford)

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UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD CRN: 33290

School of Computing, Science and Engineering

TRIMESTER TWO EXAMINATION

PROGRAMMES:

BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering

MEng Civil Engineering

BLOCK CODES:
E/CI/F2 ME/CI/F2

HIGHWAY DESIGN AND ANALYSIS

May 2019 ***** – ****

Instructions to Candidates

The duration of this examination paper is 2.5 hours.

There are FOUR Questions in total. ONE question in Section A and THREE
questions in Section B.

Question 1 is compulsory (all parts should be attempted). 50 marks are available.

Answer any TWO questions from Section B. Each question carries 25 marks.

For Question 4, your desk number must be clearly written on all handouts which
must be submitted with your answer book. Clearly mark with pen and identify which
of the design charts you have used in your answer.

For any missing information, make and state clearly any necessary assumptions.

Calculators may be used but NOT in text storage mode.

All examination stationary (including all Design Charts) should be submitted with the
answer book.

Students must not remove this exam paper from the venue.

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SECTION A – STATISTICS IN CIVIL/TRANSPORT ENGINEERING

Q1. (COMPULSORY QUESTION)
a) For a highway job, the soil investigation report for the subgrade suggests that it
consists of clay material. In order to obtain the shrinkage limit of this particular type
of clay, samples were taken and the moisture content in percent of dry weight is used
as shown in the following table.

Moisture 14.6-15.1 15.2-15.7 15.8-16.3 16.4-16.9 17.0-17.5 17.6-18.1

content
(%)
Frequency 1 4 14 22 8 1
Calculate the skewness, kurtosis and the coefficient of variation for the distribution of
moisture content and comment on the results. (Note: Construct a table to clearly
show your calculations).
Ans:
skewness  -0.30
kurtosis  0.13
CV  0.04
Add a comment on the shape of the distribution …etc.
(20 marks)

b) An independent laboratory for testing concrete material received thirty specimens of

asphaltic cores from two jobs, A and B, at the same time. Ten cores were received
from Job A and twenty from Job B. If two cores are selected at random, what is the
probability that
i) Both cores are from Job A,
ii) Both cores are from Job B,
iii) The first core is from Job A and the second is from Job B, and
iv) At least one core is from Job A.
Ans:
i) = 0.103
ii) = 0.437
iii) = 0.230
iv) = 0.563
(8 marks)

c) A sample of 10 measurements of the concentration of smoke in the atmosphere in a

tunnel was recorded within a short period of time. The sample mean (in micrograms
per cubic metre) was 69.93 with a variance of 4.56.

i) Estimate a 95% confidence interval for the true mean concentration of smoke in
the atmosphere at the time concerned. Is there any need to use special
ventilation systems if the allowable concentration is 67 microgram per
cubic metre?
Ans: 68.40 ≤  ≤ 71.46 micrograms per cubic metre.
Comment: Since the allowable concentration is 67, this is outside the range for the 95% CI.
Therefore, special arrangements are needed to reduce the smoke. Students need to
suggest some remedial measures to reduce the concentration of smoke (as discussed
in class).
(12 marks)

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ii) If 10% of the smoke readings are higher than 70 micrograms per cubic metre,
what is the probability of obtaining more than 2 readings in a sample of 5
which are higher than 70 micrograms per cubic metre?
Ans: P(>2)  0.01
(10 marks)

Total mark for Question 1 is 50

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SECTION B – HIGHWAY DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

(ANSWER ANY TWO QUESTIONS FROM SECTION B)

Q2. HIGHWAY SAFETY ENGINEERING

a) The following formula is applied in the design of horizontal curves:

V2/gR = s + µ

i) Explain clearly the meaning of all terms represented in this equation.

ii) Discuss the importance of superelevation in the context of highway

safety engineering, including reference to the typical traffic accident
types which are affected. Use sketches to illustrate your answer.
(9 marks)

b) For a particular circular curve of radius 250m, the road surface has a sideways
force coefficient of friction of 0.25. Determine the speed (in km/hr) at which
sliding will occur for each of the following conditions:

 The road surface has an adverse crossfall of 3%.

 The road surface is flat.
 The road surface has 7% superelevation.

Comment in principle on the possibility of vehicles overturning in these situations

and state any assumptions made.
(7 marks)

c) The following formula is applied in the design of vertical crest curves:

L = S2A/200(a+b+2√a√b)

Explain clearly the meaning of all terms represented in this equation and discuss how
the formula above is derived by considering the safety implications at crest curves.
(There is no need to include a first principle derivation of the formula).
(9 marks)

Q3. DESIGN OF HIGHWAY INTERSECTIONS/PAVEMENT CONSTRUCTION

AND MAINTENANCE

a) Explain how merging and diverging manoeuvres facilitate free flow traffic at the
grade separated interchange. Use sketches to explain the merging and diverging
manoeuvers.
(6 marks)

b) Four Way – Four Level grade separated interchange is shown in Figure 1. Identify
the locations where decisions and manoeuvres should be made at this interchange
(Note: use different colour or marker to identify the decision points and
manoeuvres).

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Figure 1: four way – four level grade separated interchange

(6 marks)

c) Briefly explain four main reasons for pavement failures. Why is it necessary
for the Highway Engineer to conduct a monitoring and evaluation process?
(6 marks)

d) In which layer of the pavement structure is Porous Asphalt material used? Briefly
explain the main benefits and problems concerning using such material.
(7 marks)

Q4. PAVEMENT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

a) In highway construction, explain what is meant by “secondary” materials and

give examples of at least six selected materials showing where each one can
be used as part of the pavement layers.
(5 marks)

b) In Highway Engineering, explain clearly the reasons for using warping joints
and where they are used. Show, with the aid of detailed sketches a typical
cross section of such joints.
(4 marks)

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c) In a certain county council, a section of a dual carriageway road requires urgent

maintenance. Use the information presented in the handouts to provide two
alternative detailed designs, with the aid of sketches, showing the thicknesses of
each layer of the pavement structure and the material used starting from the
subgrade. Assume Class 2 Subbase is available and no capping is allowed. In
your design, use the following two options:

i) Option A: The base is made up of type HDM50 material, and

ii) Option B: The base is made up of hydraulic bound materials.

Assume that the CBR value for the subgrade is 4% with water table level at least
1 metre down with thin construction. Make clear any other assumptions you have
made.

Note: Clearly mark in pen and identify all the design charts that you have used in your
answer and submit all design charts and tables with your answer book showing
your desk number.

Table 1 Traffic Calculation

Commercial vehicle AADF Growth Wear Factor Weighted Annual
Class or category (F) Factor (WN) Traffic
(G) (by class or by category)
Either by class
Buses and Coaches 1.19
(PSV)

OGV1
2 axle rigid 1.19
3 axle rigid 1.19

OGV2
4 axle rigid 1.67
3 and 4 axle artic 1.67
5 axle artic 1.67
6 axle artic 1.67
Or by category
OGV1 + PSV 600 1.19
OGV2 300 1.67
Total daily flow (cv/d) Total weighted annual traffic

Percentage of vehicles in
heaviest traffic lane (P)
T = 365×F×Y×G×W×P×10-6msa Design Period (Y) in years

Design Traffic (T)

Weighted annual traffic = 365×F×G×W×10-6msa

Design Traffic (T) = Total weighted annual traffic ×Y×P

(16 marks)

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Handouts for – Highway Design and Analysis CRN: 33290

December 2015
Statistics Formulae
Mean, variance, coefficient of variation, skewness and kurtosis

1
n∑ i
mean: x = f

2
variance: s =
1
n -1 ∑ f i ( xi - x ) 2 =
1
n -1 (∑ f i x 2i -
( ∑ f i xi )
n

skewness = 1/ n ∑ f i
s(
xi - x

[ ( )]
kurtosis = 1/ n ∑ f i
xi - x 4
s
−3
Coefficient of variation = [(standard deviation) / (mean)] x 100%

Estimation of Covariance

If X, Y are random variables and (xi, yi) for i =1 to n denote n pairs of observations of the
variables, then the covariance of X and Y is estimated by

[ ]
n n

n
(∑ xi ) (∑ yi )
n
1 1 i=1 i=1
cov ( X ,Y ) =
n−1 ∑ ( ( x i−x )( y i − y ) )=
n−1
( ∑ x i y i )−
n
i=1 i=1
If Z = X + Y
var(Z) = var (X) + 2cov (X,Y) + var(Y)
If Z = X - Y
var(Z) = var (X) - 2cov (X,Y) + var(Y)

Laws of probability
If A and B are any two events
P(A or B) = P(A + B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(AB)
P(A and B) = P (AB) = P(A) P(B/A)

Binomial distribution
If n independent trials are made of an event with a constant probability, p of success
in each trial:
n (n -1)(n -2) . . . ( n −(r-1)) r
P(r successes) = n C r p r (1-p)n − r = p (1-p) n −
(1 )(2 )(3) (r )
mean number of successes = np;
variance of number of successes = np (1- p)

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Poisson distribution
If the average number of occurrences of a random event in unit time is m:
P (r occurrences in unit time) = e-m mr / r!
Mean number of occurrences = m
Variance of number of occurrences = m
The probability of a time interval t between successive occurrences is me-mt dt; the
mean interval is (1/m); the variance of t is (1/m)2.

The z and t distributions

In the following: n = sample size; x = sample mean; s2 = sample estimate of
population variance. Parent population is normal.

z = (x - ) / 

where  and  are the population mean and standard deviation, respectively.

If population mean = ,
x− μ
t=
s / √n , is distributed as Student’s t ( n - 1) with (n - 1) degrees of freedom

Estimation of population mean

100 (1 - a)% confidence interval for µ is given by

s s
x − z a/2 < μ < x + z a/2
√n √n where za/2 is the Standard Normal Deviate

s s
x − t(a/2n−1) < μ < x + t(a/2n−1 )
√n √n
Estimating the difference between two population means (µ1, µ2)

100 (1-a)% confidence interval for µ1 – µ2 is given by

√ √
σ 2 σ 2 σ 2 σ 2
1 2 1 2
( x 1 − x 2 ) − z a/2 + < (μ 1 − μ 2 ) < ( x 1 − x2 ) + z a/2 +
n1 n2 n1 n2

[or replace z by t for small samples].

For paired observations:

s s
d − t ( n−1 ) D < μ D < d + t (n−1 ) D
a/2 √n a/2 √n
where d represents the difference between paired observations and d is the difference in
population means.

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The F test
If population variances are equal, F = (s 12) / (s22) is distributed as the variance ratio
with DF1=n1-1 and DF2=n2-1.

Note: For use of most F tables, the larger estimate of variance must be in the
numerator of the ratio.

Note also: F(1-a)(DF1, DF2) = 1 / F(a) (DF2, DF1)

If s12 and s22 are the estimates of variance derived from a particular pair of
independent samples, a 95% confidence interval for 12 / 22 is given by
¿
F . 025 ( n2 − 1, n1 −1 )
¿
¿
s σ s
( )
2 1 2 2
1 1 1
≤ ≤ ¿
s 2 F . 025 ( n1 − 1, n2 −1 ) σ 2 s 2
2 2 2
¿

The Chi2 (χ2) test

(n - 1) s2/σ2 is distributed as χ2 (n – 1) if the sample is independent drawing from a
normal population.

Goodness of fit: If Or, for r = 1 to n, denotes the observed frequency in the r th class
and if Er denotes the corresponding expected frequency based on some specified
hypothetical distribution, then

χ2 = Σ [(Or – Er)2 / Er] is approximately distributed as χ2 (n-k-1), where k is the number

of parameters required to be estimated from the observed data in order that the
expected frequencies may be estimated.

In a m x n contingency Table, the number of degrees of freedom is (m -1) x (n -1).

Note: All Expected frequencies should be ≥ 5.

To estimate a 100 (1-a)% confidence interval for 2 is given by:

2 χ 2 (n−1 ) 2
2
2 χ (n−1)
(n−1 )s / ≤ σ ≤ ( n-1) s /
(1-a/2) (a/2)

Choice of sample size

The following equations are used to estimate the minimum sample size (n) required to
estimate population means, proportions, …etc.:

n=[
z a/2 ]2 [σ/d]2 for infinite population size

where d ≥│ x− μ │

For proportions: n = [(
z a/2 ) / d]2 [p (1 - p) ]
where d ≥│p - ˆp│

Assuming parent population is of size N:

n = no / [1 + (no -1) / N]

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Extracts from the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges

Note: Insert your desk number on the Design Charts and submit them with your answer
book.

Student’s Desk Number …………………………………………………….

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