Transportation Engineering

Course Instructor
Engr. Zaraq Razzaq
Highway Drainage
Highway Drainage
A means by which surface water is
removed from pavement and ROW
Redirects water into appropriately
designed channels
Eventually discharges into natural water
systems
Inadequate Drainage
Damage to highway structures
Loss of capacity
Visibility problems with spray and
retro-reflectivity
Safety problems, reduced friction
Highway Drainage
Transverse slopes
 Removes water from pavement surface
 Facilitated by cross-section elements (cross-
slope, shoulder slope)
Longitudinal slopes
 Minimum gradient to maintain adequate slope
in longitudinal channels
Longitudinal channels
 Ditches along side of road to collect surface
water after run-off
Transverse slope
Longitudinal slope
Longitudinal channel
Drainage System
Three phases
1. To Estimate the quantity of water to reach
the system
2. Hydraulic design of system elements
3. Comparison of different materials to serve
the purpose
Steep slopes provide good hydraulic
capacity and lower ROW costs, but
reduces safety and increases erosion
and maintenance costs
 Hydrologic Analysis

Q = CIA (english) or Q = 0.0028CIA (metric)

Q = runoff (ft3/sec) or (m3/sec)

C = coefficient representing ratio or runoff to
rainfall
I = intensity of rainfall (in/hour or mm/hour)
A = drainage area (acres or hectares)
 Transverse Slope

Undivided traveled ways (two- and multilane) on

tangents and flat curves have a crown in the
middle and slope downward toward both edges
(camber). The downward cross slope may be a
plane or rounded section (parabolic), or a
combination of the two.
One-way traveled ways on divided highways
may be crowned separately or may have a
unidirectional cross slope/cross fall.
Transverse Slope
Transverse Slope
 Crowns vs. Unidirectional Slopes
Type of Pros Cons
Roadway
Crowned •rapid drainage during •inlets and underground drainage
separately rainstorms (drainage towards the median)
•difference between low and •difficult design of at-grade
high points is minimal intersection elevation
•use of such sections should be
limited to regions with high rainfall
Unidirectional •more comfortable for drivers •drainage is slower
cross slopes changing lanes •difference between low and high
•drainage away from the points of the cross section is
median saves inlets and larger
drains
•simplifies treatment of
intersections
 Cross Slopes on Tangents
Contradictory design controls
A steep lateral slope reduces water ponding and the width of the
water flow along the curb.
A flat lateral slope reduces vehicles' drift towards the low edge.
Recommended design controls
Lateral drift of vehicles at high speed is barely perceptible on cross
slopes up to 2%. The slope of 1.5-2.0% is acceptable on high-
speed highways. In the areas of intense rainfall a maximum cross
slope is 2.5%.
Crown section
Change in the cross slope of 3-4% causes swaying of high body
vehicles. Rounded crowns reduce discomfort.
 Curbed Highways
The minimum slope values of 1.5-2 % in areas with intense
rainfalls will cause wide sheet of water on the curbed
traveled way.

Possible improvements:
• parabolic cross section with increasing cross slope
towards the outer edges,
• gutter along the curb with the cross slope larger than on
the traveled way,
• on multilane traveled way, cross slope broken along
traffic lane edges, increasing from the minimum value on
the innermost lane up to the maximum value on the
outermost lane. This solution is used on uncurbed
sections as well.
Drainage Channels and Side slopes
Design considerations of highway drainage
includes
 safety
 good appearance
 control of pollutants
 economy in maintenance

This can be achieved by applying

 flat side slopes
 wide drainage channels
 rounding
Drainage Channels
Types of Drainage Channels

800
802
814

804

806
Intercepting
channel 812

810
794

808

Toe-of-slope Flume
channel
798

800

Roadside
channel
802

804

808
806
Drainage Channels
Drainage channels should:
 have adequate capacity for the design runoff,
 minimize damage to the highway caused by
unusual storm water,
 minimize risk for motorists,
 be resistant to the high speed water flows where
expected,
 prevent sedimentation of the particles carried by
water.
 Side slopes
Side slopes should:
 insure the stability of the roadway
 provide opportunity for recovery of an out-of-control vehicles
 Roadside Channels
 Steep sides improve hydraulic efficiency and reduce right of way
costs
 Flatter sides improve slope stability and traffic safety, reduce
maintenance costs
 Sideslopes 1:4 or flatter provides a good chance of recovery for
errant vehicles and relax drivers' tension (roadside channel is
visible to drivers)
 Sideslopes of 1:5 or 1:6 are recommended in the flat areas
 Intercepting channels have a flat cross section form by a dike
made with borrow material
 Median drainage channels are shallow depressed areas with inlets
 Flumes are open channels or pipes used to connect intercepting
channels or shoulder curbs with roadside channels
 Channel lining prevents channels erosion caused by fast stream of
water.
Examples: grass (where possible), concrete, stone etc.
 Side slopes
Safety consideration
 Rounded hinge point reduces the chance of an errant
vehicle becoming airborne
 Foreslopes 1:6 or flatter can be negotiated by errant vehicles
 Foreslopes 1:3 with liberal rounding provide a good chance
for recovery
 Slopes steeper than 1:3 can be used only where justified by
local conditions. The use of roadside barriers should be
considered
Maintenance consideration
 Flat and well-rounded side slopes simplify establishment of
turf and its maintenance
 Slopes 1:3 or flatter enable the use of motorized equipment
 Side slopes
Other rules
Flat, well-rounded side slopes create a streamlined
cross section. Advantages for the streamlined cross
sections are:
 natural, pleasant appearance,
 improved traffic safety,
 snow drift prevented,
 easy maintenance.
Retaining walls should be considered where slopes
would be steeper than 1:2.
Standard slope for rock cuts is 2:1. In good-quality
rock, slopes ranges from 6:1.
Sideslopes