GEOMETRIC DESIGN

OF HIGHWAYS
By
Dr. MANAL ABD ALLA

05/16/2024 Introduction 1
 Chapter1
Introduction

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 Definitions:
 Geometric design: pertains to
the design of the visible features
of the highway
 Design Controls: They are the
factors affecting the different
geometric design elements of
highways.

Introduction
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 GEOMETRIC DESIGN
COURSE CONTAINS:

Chapter 1:Introduction.
Chapter 2:Basic Design Control.
Chapter 3:Sight Distance.
Chapter 4:Horizontal Alignment.
Chapter 5:Vertical Alignment.
Chapter 6:Cross-sectional
elements.
Chapter 7:Highway
Intersections.

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 Chapter 2
Basic Design Control

05/16/2024 Basic Design Control 1

 Basic Design Control
Highway
Classification

Primary Topography
Control

Traffic
Basic
Design
Control
Speed

Dependent Vehicle
Control

Driver

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 Primary Control

1-Highway Classification
Freeway
Major
Rural
highway

Highway Local road

Classification Freeway
Major
Urban
street
Local
street

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 Primary Control( Cont.)
2-Topography

The nature of the surrounding

topography and land use may
govern in many cases the
choice of best alternative of
highway location.
It also governs highway slopes,
drainage, speed, …

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 Primary Control (cont.)
3-Traffic Data: It must include
volume, Composition, and projection
 Traffic Volume

Average Daily Traffic (ADT), AWDT,AMDT, AADT.

Design Hourly Volume (DHV) = k × ADT
Rural: K=11-20%, Urban: K=7:18%
 Traffic Composition
Percent of non passenger cars (T)

Vehicle Type Equivalent Factor

PC 1
Bus 2
SUT 2.5
Trailer 3.5
Hand Driver Car 6

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 Primary Control (cont.)

 Traffic Projection
Normal Growth, Generated, Attracted, Developed.

Total
Attracted
Generated
Developed
N.Growth

Current

Future ADT = Current ADT (1+ TPF)

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 Dependent Control

1-Speed
(Distance over time……..mph,kph,
ft/sec.)
Running speed: Distance / overall time.
Operating speed: The highest overall speed in
such a way it is not greater than the design
speed.
Design speed: The speed selected for design of
highway elements.
- It is the max. safe speed
- It is the speed that at least 95% of the
drivers use speed less than or equal to
it.

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 Dependent Control
(cont.)

2-Design Vehicle Is that vehicle selected

to represent all vehicles on the highway
Types: - Passenger Car (PC)
- Single Unit Truck (SUT)
- Bus
- Semitrailer Combination (WB-40)
- Semitrailer Combination (WB-50)
- Semitrailer Fulltrailer (WB-60)
Single Unit Truck (SUT) is the type of the vehicle
considered according to Egyptian Specifications

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 Dependent Control
(cont.)
Design Vehicle

12.8 m Turning 13.4 m Max.

8.7 m Min.

9.1m SUT

2.6 m

Turning Radii
PC SUT BUS WB-40 WB-50 WB-60

Min. 7.3 12.8 12.8 12.2 13.7 13.7

Turning

Min. 4.7 8.7 7.1 6.1 6.0 6.9

Inside

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 Design Designation
They are the major controls for which a given
highway is designed
 Design Year ( Ex. 20 Years Ahead)
 Current ADT
 Future ADT
 DHV
 Directional Distribution (D)
 % Truck (T)
 Design Speed (V)
 Control of Access ( None, Partial, or Full)
 Design Level of Service (A, B, C, D, or E)

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