Highway Engineering

Code: -
|
CEAR-03/A
Conception, design, and construction of roads in relation to the transport demand, the human factor, the traffic safety, and the impact on the environment.

Lesson hours:

72

Practice hours:

-

Propaedeuticities:

-

Credits:

9

Types of examinations:

Commination of written and oral test

Teacher:

-

Objectives:

Train highway designers able of drawing up a project in all levels required by current legislation, with regard to issues related to geometry, level of service, pavement, traffic control devices, and road restraint systems. Provide an understanding of the basic principles and techniques of highway design. This will include issues related to geometric design of segments and intersections, evaluation of earthwork requirements, level of service evaluation, and pavement design.

Contents:

[1CFU] Road design basics and principles: Definition, goals, international design standards, road users’ classification, classification of roads, intersection classification, design assumptions and criteria, road elements, traffic volume, performance-based design, level of service concept, safe system approach, sustainable road design, complete streets, self-explaining/self-enforcing roads.

[1CFU] Principles of traffic engineering: Principles of traffic flow theory, level of service concept, procedures to assess the level of service according to the road type.

[1CFU] Geometric Design: Speed parameters, cross-section, horizontal alignment (tangents, curves, and spiral transitions), sight distances, vertical alignment, horizontal and vertical alignment combination, design consistency measures and controls, human factors.

[1CFU] At grade unsignalized intersections: Design considerations and objectives, types and examples of intersections (three-leg intersections, four-leg intersections, roundabouts), design principles, intersection sight distance, intersection control, pedestrian and bicycle safety.

[1CFU] Roundabouts: Design principles, benefits, selection criteria, classification, design objectives, design criteria, speed control, sight distance, pedestrian and bicycle safety.

[1CFU] Interchanges: Types of interchanges, configuration determination, spacing, uniformity, route continuity, lane-balance, ramps design, ramp travelled-way widths, ramp terminals.

[1CFU] Traffic control devices: Principles and objectives, markings, signs, signals, performances, maintenance.

[1CFU] Road restraint systems: Roadside hazards, roadside treatments, type of road restraint systems, barrier flexibility and configurations, severity of barriers, barrier transitions, barrier terminals and crash cushions, specific treatments improving PTW safety.

[1CFU] Pavement design: Pavement types, materials and performances, pavement design, construction process, pavement maintenance, High Friction Surface Treatments.

Teaching materials:

Slides provided by the teacher.

AASHTO, 2018. A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, 7th Edition.

AASHTO, 2010. Highway Safety Manual, 1th Edition.

Montella A., 2018. Roundabouts. In Lord D., Washington S. (Eds), Safe Mobility: Challenges, Methodology and Solutions (Transport and Sustainability, Volume 11), Emerald Publishing Limited, 147-174.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2023. NCHRP Research Report 1043, Guide for Roundabouts.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2022. Highway Capacity Manual, 7th Edition.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2017. NCHRP Research Report 839, A Performance-Based Highway Geometric Design Process.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2010. NCHRP Report 672, Roundabouts: An informational guide, 2nd Edition.