HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

CEE-301

HIGHWAY LOCATION
Lecture no 2-A

Engr. Adnan Yousaf

ayousaf@ciit.net.pk

Department of Civil Engg. COMSATS Abbottabad

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SEQUENCE
 Highway Location
 Location Surveys in Rural Areas
 Location Surveys in Urban Areas
 Roads in Hilly and Snow Bound Areas
 Surface Investigations
 Highway Plans, Location & Components

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 Highway Location

Definition Aim
An iterative process in which To provide free flowing, easy
combined skills of an engineer, riding and high capacity facility
surveyor, planner and geologist meeting all safety requirements
are employed to examine the while causing least disruption to
available data to arrive at final historic, scenic, industrial and
location of highway that would recreational developments.
yield highest return on
transport investment and
provide the best compromise of
all inflicting interests of all
affected by the facility .

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Highway Location (Factors)

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Highway Location (Principles)

General Geometric Design

■ Provide continuous and free flowing ■ Must meet the requirements of
traffic design speed
■ Controlled access ■ Change in grade and curvature
■ Compromised solution to conflicting should be minimum
requirements ■ Avoid sudden changes
■ Less destruction to man made culture ■ Beginning or ending a horizontal
■ Avoid utilities curve within the limits of a vertical
curve over a crest should be
■ Affects on existing and future location
avoided, since the driver cannot
of public facilities
see the change before he reaches it
■ Should be located with some
prominent features ahead
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Highway Location (Principles)

Crossing & Intersections Soil Conditions

■ Crossing of water channels where ■ Avoid boggy and marshy

less width and soil presents good areas
bearing capacity ■ Soil should demand for least
■ Bridges not located adjacent to thickness of pavement
curves
■ No intersection at grade with
railway line near bends
■ Alignment along line having least
conflicting points

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Location Survey in Rural Areas

Steps for Location Process The Steps are;

■ Previously location surveys ■ Preliminary Reconnaissance
were made using maps or
physical reconnaissance on ■ Reconnaissance of feasible
foot or through air routes
exploration that required ■ Preliminary location
considerable efforts and time.
■ Final location
■ Now location practices are
primarily based on
photogrammetry and GIS.
Better locations can be
produced in less time and at
lower cost
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Location Survey in Rural Areas
Preliminary Reconnaissance
■ The first step is to assemble
all available maps,
particularly those of the
Geological Survey.
■ At the reconnaissance stage,
the engineer's task is, by cut
and try, to determine which
routes deserve further study.
■ Terminals of the road and
intermediate points through
which it must pass form the
primary controls.
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■ A unique bridge site or single
mountain pass also may become a
primary control if no alternative
exists. Likewise, for scenic highways,
the positions of timbered areas,
waterfalls, lakes, and other attractions
may be primary controls
■ Drainage systems, mountain passes,
low points in ridges, or swamps in low
country, often form secondary
controls
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Location Survey in Rural Areas (Step I)
 Information required
 Permitted use and restrictions
 Approaches and access including for construction purposes
 Ground conditions by following sources
■ Geological maps
■ Flooding erosion, landslides , subsidence history
■ Data by local and central govt.
■ Construction and investigation record of adjacent records
■ Seismicity
 Sources of material for construction
 Drainage and sewerage problems
 Water, electric and gas supply
 Telecommunication
 Met conditions
Location Survey in Rural Areas (Step II)

Reconnaissance Survey of Feasible Routes

■ The second stage is to set the position of the alternate routes quite closely by
establishing all control points and by fitting tentative vertical and horizontal
alignment to them
■ Traditionally, these control points are established "on the ground," after which
they are tied together by surveys of appropriate accuracy. Where the
photogrammetric approach is used, aerial photographs and GIS can be used to
study maximum alternatives and most feasible one selected
Location Survey in Rural Areas (Step II)
Reconnaissance Report
 Total length of line
 The elevation of main and intermediate summit
 All adverse grades
 Stream crossing
 Nature of construction
 Right of way circumstances
 Soil conditions
 Unusual or troublesome condition
 Approximate estimate of cost
Location Survey in Rural Areas (Step III)
Preliminary Location
■ If conventional practice is followed, a preliminary or P line is run which
follows as closely as possible to the apparent position of the final center line.
■ The alignment survey is commonly by transit and steel tape; curves are not
run in, but deflection angles larger than 30° are avoided.
■ Elevations taken with an engineer's level provide data for a profile and a
starting point for topographic mapping that covers a strip from 200 to 800 ft
wide, depending on conditions.
■ Field data are reduced to maps and profiles, often plotted to a scale of 100 ft to
1 in. On these drawings the final location is laid out ready for field staking of
the center line and the taking of profile levels and cross-sections
■ The preliminary survey based on photogrammetric methods is almost entirely
an office operation
■ From these maps, the final location is made and construction plans are drawn.
Location Survey in Rural Areas (Step IV)
Final Location
■ Final location is essentially the fixing of the details of the projected highway. It
offers opportunity for small shifts of the line and adjustments in grade
■ At this time, final horizontal and vertical positioning of structures, channels, and
other drainage facilities is set. Particular attention should be paid to coordinating
horizontal and vertical alignments
■ Directions of property lines, distances to property corners, and the locations of
buildings, fences, and other improvements must be established accurately. On
these will hinge the future property acquisitions and settlements 'made by the'
right-of-way agents
■ Cross section level should be taken at right angles ,on both sides , at centre line
■ All streams within the area of construction should be carefully located with
respect to pegged Centre line and their profile elevations be taken upstream and
down stream
Location Survey in Rural Areas (Step IV)

Final Location
■ Detail information to be obtained on existing bridges and culverts
■ Benchmarks are key reference points and new permanent ones should be
established outside construction area so that they can be preserved for the
entire period of road contract
■ Location of major road structures e.g. interchanges, flyovers and bridges is
carried out during final location survey
Location Survey in Urban Areas (Step I)
Reconnaissance Preliminary
Survey
■ The reconnaissance-preliminary  Adjust line and complete sketch
survey leading to the location and preliminary plans for major
preliminary design of major alternate locations.
highway in an urban area has been
divided into the following inter  Analyze and compare alternative
related steps. locations for selection of the
preferred one, by making cost
 Determine the approximate traffic estimates, analyzing road user
load along a general route benefits and considering other
suggested by traffic desire lines
controls and factors
 Assign traffic to one or more of the
selected locations to determine
design traffic volumes
Location Survey in Urban Areas (Step II)

Final Location Survey

■ The final location survey is similar to that described in a rural area for a
highway location survey
■ It is comparatively more difficult
■ The principal difference is in the scale of the aerial photographs and drawings
which is roughly double the scale of their rural counter part, as greater detail is
required
Location Survey in Urban Areas

Additional Factors
■ Locate new roads in close proximity of the existing and planned parking places
■ Existing transport system i.e. rail, docks and airports need good servicing by the
roads
■ Underground public utilities i.e. sewers, water, gas and electric lines pose
problems in built up areas
■ Land and social costs
■ Topographical and underlying soil conditions are more critical in urban location
due to less options available
■ Environmental aesthetics value
Location Survey in Urban Areas

Problems in Urban Location

■ Land owner conflict – land requisition problems
■ Centre line may not be a straight line
■ planning issues- foresightedness
■ Effect on environment
■ Community aspirations
Location Survey in Hilly Areas
■ In mountainous country with well defined summit ranges, there is usually a suitable
pass with possible approaches
■ The least expensive and frequently the straightest line may lie just above high water
line in the stream
■ On occasions, the routes must climb from a stream level to an adjoining pass or
summit. In this case the road must be long enough to gain max elevation at gentle
slope
■ Excessive use of switchbacks is objectionable & should be avoided
■ Long stretches in one direction before reversal are preferred
■ Avoid tunneling
Location Survey in Hilly Areas

■ Least cutting of woods

■ Select location with balance cut and fill as far as possible
■ In snow bound areas
■ The location should, if possible be limited to slopes exposed to sun to avoid icing on
road
■ Very important to locate areas where drifts form, snow slides occur and snow melts
late. It requires for separate snow surveys in winters
Questions
Thanks