Highway_Engineering_Notes
Highway_Engineering_Notes
Highway engineering deals with the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of roads. Subgrade
materials form the foundation for pavement structures and play a vital role in road performance.
Classification of Roads
1. Based on Function: National Highways, State Highways, District Roads, Village Roads.
2. Based on Carriageway: Single lane, two lane, multi-lane.
3. Based on Surface Type: Earthen, Gravel, WBM, Bituminous, Cement concrete roads.
Alignment refers to the position of the road in the horizontal and vertical planes. Survey includes reconnaissance,
preliminary, and detailed surveys to finalize alignment.
Key agencies: MoRTH, NHAI, IRC. Major projects: Golden Quadrilateral, Bharatmala, PMGSY. Roads are developed
based on traffic needs and economic importance.
Key components include right of way, carriageway, shoulders, medians, and side slopes. Geometric design standards
cover design speed, sight distance, road width, gradient, and curve radius.
Subgrade soils must have good strength and drainage properties. Soil types vary from clay, silt, sand to gravel.
Important properties: Strength, permeability, stability, and compaction characteristics. Good subgrade should resist
deformation and provide uniform support.
1. Liquid Limit - Water content at which soil changes from plastic to liquid.
2. Plastic Limit - Water content at which soil begins to exhibit plastic behavior.
Highway Engineering Notes
3. Shrinkage Limit - Minimum water content below which no further volume reduction occurs.
4. Grain Size Analysis - Determines soil particle distribution via wet sieve and hydrometer.
5. Water Content - Ratio of water mass to dry soil mass.
6. Specific Gravity - Ratio of soil particle density to water density.
7. Free Swell Index - Measures swelling potential of clay soils.
8. Relative Density - Indicates compactness of granular soils.
9. Heavy Compaction - Modified Proctor test for compaction characteristics.
10. California Bearing Ratio (CBR) - Measures strength of subgrade and base materials.