Page 1 of 5

Highway Technology 1
November 1 2013

Highways Technology Midterm

Angle Between 2 lines = tan-1( (m2-m1)/(1+m1m2) )
where m1 and m2 are the slopes of the lines
2
Minimum Radius (Rmin) = V /(127(e+f))
Length of Tangent to PI for simple curve (T) =
Length of Curve BC to EC (L) =
Length of Chord ( C) =
External Distance (E) =
Middle Ordinate (M) =

Rtan( / 2)
2R( /360)= R / 180
2Rsin( / 2)
R*(1/(cos( / 2)-1)
R*(1-(1-cos( / 2))

Ls(comfort) = V3/(28R)
Ls(aesthetics) = V/1.8
Ls(super) = 100we/(2s)
s =
X~
Y~
p=
q=
Ts =
c =
Length of Curve within spiral (Lc) =
slope of runoff =
rate of change for Vertical Curve =
Minimum Length of Vertical Curve =
Elevations on Vertical Curve =
a=
b=
c=
Low Point x where

(90/)*(Ls/R)
Ls*(1-s2/10)
s in radians
Ls*(s /3-s ^3/42) s in radians
Y-R*(1-cos s )
X-R*sin s
(R+p)tan(/2)+q
- 2*s
Rc/180
s % (chart)
K (chart)
K|g2%-g1%|
ax2+bx+c
(g2-g1)/2L
g1
elev BVC
2ax+b = 0

Peak Hour Factor = Q60/Q15

80

90

100

110

120

130

Maximum Relative Slope (s) % Between Outer Edge of Pavement and Centreline of Two-Lane Roadways (TAC)
0.7
0.65
0.6
0.55
0.51

Design Speed (km/h)

30

40

50

60

70

0.47

0.44

0.41

0.38

0.36

53
21

78
25

113
31

152
36

200
43

Minimum Vertical Curve K Values (TAC)

K Crest
K Sag

2
2

4
4

7
6

13
9

23
12

36
16

Converting degrees to radians is easy if you remember that 180 (degrees) = (radians).
Its just another ratio! 180 (degrees)/ (radians) = ? (degrees)/ ? (radians)
Note conversions are always ratios so properly setting it up makes it easy. In addition if you include units they should cancel out nicely.

TOTAL MARK
/62

Highway Technology 1

Page 2 of 5

November 1 2013

1. List 4 discrete (different) responsibilities/tasks that a Ministry of Transportation Technician

might have within a Highway Construction Section assignment. ( 4 Marks)

Conduct site inspections

Monitor Contractors on major capital construction projects
Verify as-built information
Calculate cost estimates
Perform quality assurance sampling, testing and inspection of construction materials
and methods

2. List 4 discrete (different) responsibilities/tasks that a Ministry of Transportation Technician

might have within a Highways Geomatics section assignment. (4 Marks)

Collect raw data in the field using handheld GPS equipment

Process raw survey data to create engineering plans, profiles and digital terrain models
Work as part of the field crew to complete engineering surveys using a total station
Create and Analyze GIS Data with ArcGIS software
Cartography - create custom maps

3. Colonization Roads were roads created in the mid 19th century to open up or provide
access to areas in Central and Eastern Ontario, Canada, for settlement and development.
To build and maintain Colonization Roads Statute Labour was utilized. What is Statute
Labour? (2 Marks)

To build and maintain roads Statute Labour (unpaid labour in lieu of taxes for the
upkeep of roads, bridges, and dikes) was utilized.

4. What is Macadam? (2 marks)

Macadam is a type of road construction pioneered by the Scotsman John Loudon

McAdam in around 1820.
The method simplified what had been considered state-of-the-art at that point.
Single sized aggregate layers of stone with a coating of binder as a cementing agent are
mixed in an open-structured macadam.

5. Define Design Speed as it is used by the Transportation Association of Canada (4 Marks)

The TAC Manual stated that design speed is the highest continuous speed at which
individual vehicles can travel safely on a road when weather conditions are so
favourable and traffic density is so low that the safe speed is determined by the
geometric features of the road.

Highway Technology 1

Page 3 of 5

November 1 2013

6. To determine the classification to which any road belongs Freeway, Arterial, Collector, or
Local List the 4 factors should be considered. (4 Marks)

SERVICE FUNCTION: Most roads provide service to traffic, access to land or both.
Following road type provide the service function given as; Freeways and Arterials
TRAFFIC VOLUME: The low and high traffic volumes are carried by different roads.
However, the volume rage for each classification is wide and overlaps that of other
classification.
FLOW CHARACTERSTICS: The desire characteristics (uninterrupted vs interrupted) of
traffic flow determine the classification of road
RUNNING SPEED: in an ideal road system, local connect with collectors, collectors
connect with arterials and arterials with freeways.

7. Explain in terms of drainage tile and aggregate how frost heave is avoided in Urban crosssection in Canada (4 marks)

Aggregate subbase under pavement is graded to the edge of the road where a
weeping/drainage time is buried and connected to catchbasins on either side to the
road.
A good picture is worth 4 marks

8. Explain with a diagram or formulae the relationship between linear distance

(chord, diameter) and curve distance (Arc, Circumference. (4 marks)

The ratio between the Circumference of a circle and it Diameter is the

definition of pi = C/d or C=2r

Proportion of C (arc length L) = proportion of 2r therefore if proportion is
/360 we can say L = 2r (/360 )

9. Circle the multiple curve type which is to be most avoided: (2 marks)

Broken Back two curves same direction

Compound curves: multiple curves connected directly together
Reverse curves two curves, opposite direction

10. What is the Clear Zone on a highway and why is it important? (4 Marks)

The clear zone as the total roadside border area, starting at the edge of the traveled
way, available for safe use by errant vehicles to recover.
This area may consist of a shoulder, a recoverable slope, a nonrecoverable slope, and/or
a clear run-out area.

11. List the 4 Civil 3D Objects required to build a Civil 3D Corridor. (4 Marks)

Alignment, Profile, Assembly, Surface

Page 4 of 5

Highway Technology 1
November 1 2013

Use the following geometric design properties to answer Questions 12 and 13:

All calculations to be performed to 3 decimal places. (Especially Pi!)

Show all notes, calculations and assumptions

Answers to be placed in boxes provided

12. Calculate the Simple Horizontal Curve using the minimum radius. (8 marks)
Answers:
Minimum Radius (Rmin) =
Length of Tangent to PI (T) =
Length of Curve BC to EC (L) =
Station BC =
Station EC =

229.062
46.433
91.625
10+975.087
11+066.712

m
m
m
+
+

2 Mark
2 Mark
2 Mark
1 Mark
1 Mark

Notes, Calcs, and Assumptions:

R=
T=
L=
PI =
BC =
EC =

229.062 m
46.433 m
91.625 m
11+021.520
10+975.087
11+066.712

= V 2/(127x(e+f))
= R tan(Delta/2)
= RD/360
given
= PI - T
= BC + L

= 802/(127x(0.08 + 0.14))
= 229.062xtan(22.918/2)
= x 229.062 x 22.918 / 360
= 11+021.520 - 46.433
= 10+975.087 + 91.625

Page 5 of 5

Highway Technology 1
November 1 2013

13. It has been decided that spirals will be required for the curve calculated in Question 12.
Given the design parameters above calculate the Spiral Curve using the minimum radius.
Use the Ls for superelevation to calculate the spiral stations. (16 marks in BOLD)
Answers:
Ls = (use super)

s =
s =
Y~
X~
p=
q=
Ts =
c =
Lc =

54.902

6.866
0.1198
2.191
54.823
0.548
27.438
73.982
9.186
36.723

Ls Comfort
Ls Superelevation
Ls Aesthetics

DD
radians
m
m
m
m
m
DD
m

Station for PI
-Ts
TS
+Ls
SC
+Lc
CS
+Ls
ST

79.829 m
54.902 m
44.444 m
11+021.520
73.982
10+947.538
54.902
11+002.440
36.723
11+039.163
54.902
11+094.065

m
m
m
m
m

Notes, Calcs, and Assumptions (use back of page):

Ls Comfort
Ls Superelevation
Ls Aesthetics
Ls = (use super)
s =
s =
Y~
X~
p=
q=
Ts =
c =
Lc =

54.902 m

= 100we/(2s)

79.829 m
54.902 m
44.444 m

= V 3/(28R)
= 100we/(2s)
= V/1.8

1 mark
1 mark
1 mark

= 100 x 7.0 x 0.08 / (2 x 0.51)

= (90/) x 54.902/229.062)
6.866 DD
= 90/pi() x Ls/R
1 mark
Station for PI #2 11+021.520
0.120 radians
= DD x / 180
= 6.866 x / 180
1 mark
-Ts
73.982
2.191 m
= Ls(s)/3-s^3/42)
= 54.902 x (0.1198/3-0.1198/42)
1 mark
TS 10+947.538 1 mark
54.823 m
= Ls(1-s^2/10)
= 54.902 x (1-0.1198/10)
1 mark
+Ls
54.902
0.548 m
= Y - R(1-cos s))
=2.191 - 229.062 x (1-cos 6.866)
SC 11+002.440 1 mark
27.438 m
= X - R(sin s)
= 54.823 - 229.062 x sin 6.866
1 mark
+Lc
36.723
73.982 m
= (R+p)*tan(/2)+q
= (229.062+0.548) x tan (22.918/2)+27.4381 mark
CS 11+039.163 1 mark
9.186 DD
= delta - 2xdelta(s)
=22.981 - 2 x 6.866
1 mark
+Ls
54.902
= *R*c/180
36.723 m
= x 229.062 x 9.186/180
1 mark
ST 11+094.065 1 mark
NOTE these answers are for pi to 16 decimals. To 3 decimals there can be an allowable 5 to 10 mm difference for a correct answer.