• Introduction

• Significance of Drainage
• Requirements of Highway Drainage
• Surface Drainage
• Sub-Surface Drainage

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 ● Highway drainage is a process of removing and
controlling excess surface and sub-soil water within the
right of way.
● It includes interception and diversion of water from the
road surface and sub grade.

❑ Excess moisture in soil subgrade causes considerable lowering of

its stability.
❑ Increase in moisture cause reduction in strength of many pavement
materials like stabilized soil and water bound macadam.
❑ Sustained contact of water with bituminous pavements causes failure
due to stripping of bitumen from aggregates like loosening or
detachment of some of the bituminous pavement layers and formations
of pot holes
❑ Excess water on shoulders and pavement edges causes considerable
damage. 2
❑ In clayey soil variation in moisture content causes considerable
variation in volume of sub grade.
❑ High moisture content causes increases in weight and thus
increase in stress and simultaneous reduction in strength of soil
mass.
❑ Erosion of soil from top of unsurfaced roads and slopes of
embankment,
❑ In cold regions presence of water in the subgrade and a
continuous supply of water from the ground water can cause
considerable damage to the pavement due to frost action.

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❑ The surface water from the carriageway and shoulder should
effectively drained off without allowing it to percolate to sub grade.
❑ Surface water from adjoining land should be prevented form
entering the roadway.
❑ Side drain should have sufficient capacity and longitudinal slope
to carry away all surface water collected.
❑ Flow of surface water across the road and shoulders and along
slopes should not cause formation of cross ruts or erosion.
❑ Seepage and other sources of under ground water should be
drained off by the subsurface drainage system.
❑ Highest level of ground water table should be kept well below the
level of subgrade, preferably by atleast 1.2m.
❑ In waterlogged areas special precautions should be taken,
especially if detrimental salts are present

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❑ During rains, part of the rain water flows on surface and part of it
percolate through the soil mass as gravitational water until it
reaches the ground water below the water table.
❑ Removal and diversion of surface water from the road way and
adjoining land is termed as surface drainage.
❑ Diversion and removal of excess of soil water from the subgrade is
termed as sub Surface Drainage.

1.By Longitudinal side drains.

2.Catch basins and Inlets in urban areas
3.Providing damp proof course
4. Providing proper camber
5. Providing sufficient slope to the sides
6. Keeping the level of carriage way at least 60 cm above the
HFL.

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RURAL HIGHWAYS

•In rural highways the water has to drain off from both
pavement and shoulders
•The side drains of rural highway are unlined drains of
trapezoidal shape
•Covered trenches are provided when road formation is in
cutting

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URBAN HIGHWAYS

•In urban roads because of the limitations of land width and

other road facilities it is necessary to provide underground
longitudinal drains
•Water drained from pavement surface can be carried in
forward direction through under ground drainage pipes
•This water later collect in catch pits

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● Removal or Diversion of excess soil-water from sub-grade is
termed as sub-surface drainage.
● The change in moisture of sub-grade are caused by the following
○ Fluctuations in Ground Water Table
○ Seepage Flow
○ Percolation Of Rain Water
○ Movement of Capillary Water
● In sub-surface drainage it is practiced to keep the variation of
moisture in sub-grade to a minimum.

❑ When road is in cutting and water seeping from sides.

❑ When road is near the foot or hill and is likely to be damaged by
water flowing down the hill.
❑ When road is passing through plain area and water is
likely to accumulated on sides.
❑ Where water rises up to sub-grade by capillary action. 8
Lowering of Water
Table

Controlling Seepage
Flow

Controlling
Capillary Water

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❑ In order to that the sub-grade and pavement are not
subjected to excessive moisture the water table should kept
at least 1.0 to 1.2 m below the sub-grade.
❑ When the formation level is at or below the general ground level it
is necessary to lower the water table.

If soil is relatively permeable, it may be possible to lower WT by

constructing longitudinal drainage trenches with drain pipe and filter
sand and top of trenches is covered with clay seal
The depth of trench depend on:
(i) The required lowering of water table
(ii) distance b/w the drainage trenches
(iii) Types of soil

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IN PERMEABLE SOIL IN LOW PERMEABLE SOIL
in addition longitudinal
drains transverse
drains at regular
intervals also provided

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❑ When the general ground as well as impervious strata below are
sloping, seepage flow is likely to exist.
❑ If seepage zone is at depth less than 0.6-0.9 m from sub-grade
level, longitudinal pipe drain in trench filled with filter material
and clay seal may be constructed to intercept the flow.

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 If the water reaching the sub-grade due to capillary rise is likely
to be detrimental, it is possible to solve the problem by arresting
the capillary rise. It can be done by following methods:
(a)A layer of granular materials of suitable thickness is provided
during the construction of embankment, between the sub-grade
and the highest level of sub surface water table.
(b)Alternate method is providing the capillary cut off is by inserting
an impermeable or a bituminous layer in place of granular blanket.

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 In case of sub-grade subjected soil water to soaking cond.,
capillary rise, and in extreme cond. Even flooding for prolonged
periods is termed as water logged areas.
 In such areas construction and maintenance of road is a problem.
 Methods adopted to Overcome
▪ Raising the road level by constructing embankment
▪ Providing a capillary cut off to arrest capillary water
▪ Providing Cement Concrete Block
▪ Depressing the sub surface water level by drainage system

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