25/11/2024
TR 321. HIGHWAY ROUTE AND GEOMETRIC DESIGN
TUTORIAL 1
QUESTION 1
(i) A design speed of 110km/hr. is adopted for a certain road alignment which passes through
different geometric features. In order to accommodate the change in the geometric features
along the road, the speed changes but ensuring consistent design. A car approaches the
horizontal curve which can be negotiated safely at a maximum speed of 80km/hr. under
this scenario a designer decided to place a sign 20m from the curve to alert the drivers. If
the sign can be read from a distance of 100m away by a driver driving along the horizontal
tangent at design speed. Comment on the placement of the sign by the designer. Make any
necessary assumptions.
(ii) Along the same road there is another horizontal curve which is located in a 2.3m deep cut
section with 1:1 cut slope, based on the design data given below compute the available
horizontal sight offset available. Comment on its adequacy.
Lane width = 3.5m
Shoulder width = 1.8m
Ditch dimensions; depth = 0.5m and width = 0.5m, slope; 1:1
Driver’s eye height = 1080mm, object height = 600mm. (Hint: Take the average as the
midpoint of the sightline where obstruction to sight occurs)
(iii) Along the same road, there is a sag curve which is located on a horizontal tangent. it
connects a -5% grade with a +6%. The designer provided the curve length of 200m. And
he did not provide the kerbs on the edges of the travelled way. Is the provision of the curve
adequate? Give comments.
25/11/2024
QUESTION 2
Because of increasing traffic demand between Dar es Salaam and Kibiti, the Tanzania National
Roads Agency (TANROADS) is planning to widen the existing two-lane road section. A traffic
monitoring program indicated that the average annual daily traffic (AADT) on this highway was
15,000 vehicles per day with a directional split of 55:45 during the peak hour. Traffic is forecasted
to grow 1.8 percent annually. Determine:
(i) What are the features to be considered in the selection of design speed for this roadway?
(ii) According to the design manual, design speeds of 30 to 70 km/h are generally appropriate
for arterials in the rural town context; design speeds for arterials in the suburban context
generally range from 50 to 90 km/h and design speeds for arterials in the urban context are
generally lower and typically range from 40 to 70 km/h. What is the appropriate design
speed to be used in design for this roadway?
(iii) The directional design hourly volume (DDHV) in 25 years,
(iv) The number of lanes required to ensure that the level of service (LOS) does not fall below
D during the design year.
(v) The number of lanes required to ensure that the level of service (LOS) does not fall below
C during the design year.
(vi) The capacity of roadway in one direction in vehicles per hour.
(vii) What is the appropriate LOS to be used in design according to the AASHTO Green Book?
Reference:
Service Flow (SF) Rate Table
FFS (KM/H) Level of Service
A B C D E
100 660 1,080 1,550 1,980 2,200
90 600 990 1,430 1,850 2,100
80 550 900 1,300 1,710 2,000
70 490 810 1,170 1,550 1,900
