Highway Engineering

Unit 1: b. Classification of Roads

MAEER’s
Abhijeet S. Gandage
MAEER’s
Maharashtra Institute of
Maharashtra Institute
Technology, Pune of
Technology, Pune Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, MAEERs MIT Pune.
 MAEER’s
Curriculum - Theory
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Unit 1

Introduction Role of Transportation, Scope of Road Transportation, Highway Development in India,

necessity of highway planning, development plans (Bombay, Lucknow, Nagpur Plans)

Classification of Roads Classification of roads, road patterns, planning surveys, preparation of master plans
based on saturation system, determination of road lengths by 3rd road development
plan.

Traffic Engineering Traffic characteristics – road user characteristics, vehicular characteristics (only name
and significance)
Traffic studies – name of various studies and their uses, accident studies – objectives,
causes of accident, condition and collision diagrams and measures to reduce
accidents. Traffic regulation and control devices – Traffic signs, traffic signals (types,
merits and demerits), road markings, traffic islands, types of road intersections (sketch,
merits and demerits), Parking facilities.
 MAEER’s
Maharashtra Institute of
Technology, Pune

Overview of Presentation
 MAEER’s
Overview of Presentation
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

• Classification of roads.
 Based on season.
 Based on carriageway.
 Based on type of pavement surface provided.
 Based on traffic volume.
 Based on load tonnage transported.
 Based on location and function.
 MAEER’s
Maharashtra Institute of
Technology, Pune

Classification of Roads
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Based on season:
Roads

All weather Roads Fair weather Roads

Roads negotiable in all types Traffic interrupted in rainy
of weather. season.
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Based on season:
All weather Roads Fair weather Roads
Roads negotiable in all types Traffic interrupted in rainy
of weather. season.
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Based on type of carriageway:

Roads

Paved Roads Unpaved Roads

Presence of hard pavement at- Earth/gravel roads no hard
least WBM is provided. pavement.
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Based on type of carriageway:

Paved Roads Unpaved Roads
Presence of hard pavement at- Earth/gravel roads no hard
least WBM is provided. pavement.
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Based on type of pavement surface provided:

Roads

Surfaced Roads Unsurfaced Roads

Bituminous or concrete top is No Bituminous or concrete
provided. top is provided.
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Based on type of pavement surface provided:

Surfaced Roads Unsurfaced Roads
Bituminous or concrete top is No bituminous or concrete
provided. top is provided.
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Based on traffic volume:

Roads

Heavy Medium Light

 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Based on traffic volume:

Heavy Medium Light
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Based on load tonnage transported:

Roads

Heavy Loads Medium Loads Light Loads

This classification can also be Class A, Class B, Class C etc. Loads.

 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Based on traffic volume:

Heavy Loads Medium Loads Light Loads
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Based on location and function:

Roads

National Highways Major District Roads Village Road

(NH) (MDR) (VR)
Expressways State Highways (SH) Other District Roads
(ODR)
(EW)
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

National Highways (NH) –

Connect Major ports, foreign
highways, state capitals, large
industrial centres and tourist
centres.
NHAI is responsible for these
roads all over country.
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

State Highways (SH) –

Arterial roads of a state
connecting state capital with
important centres of a
particular state and linking
them with NH.
MSRDC or PWD is responsible
for these roads in Maharashtra
State.
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Major District Roads (MDR) –

Important roads in a district
connecting district
headquarters with Taluka
headquarters.
P. W. D. or Zilla Parishad is
responsible for these roads in
state of Maharashtra.
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Other District Roads (ODR) –

Connect rural villages to
Taluka headquarters.
Zilla Parishad is responsible
for these roads in state of
Maharashtra.
 MAEER’s
Classification of Roads
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Village Roads (VR) –

Road in the village interior.
Zilla Parishad is responsible
for these roads in state of
Maharashtra.
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Maharashtra Institute of
Technology, Pune

Road Patterns
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Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune

Road Patterns

Rectangular or Radial or Star & Hexagonal Pattern

Block Pattern Circular Pattern

Rectangular or Star Rectangular or Star Minimum travel

& Block Pattern & Grid Pattern pattern
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune Rectangular or Block pattern

Concept:
Whole area divided in rectangular blocks.
Wide main road.
Relatively narrow branch roads.

Example:
Chandigarh city.
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune Rectangular or Block pattern – Merits & Limitations

Merits Demerits

1. Rectangular block pattern leads to relatively a. More number of traffic intersections leads to
easy construction & maintenance of roads. frequent traffic congestion.
2. Predominantly adopted for city roads. b. Increased chances of turning accidents.
3. Buildings constructed along the rectangular
blocks created on account of road pattern.
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune Radial or Star & Block pattern

Concept:
Road network originating from centre of the area.
Area between radiating roads divided in rectangular blocks for various construction
activities.
Relatively narrow branch roads.
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune
Radial or Star & Block pattern – Merits & Limitations

Merits Demerits

1. Reduces traffic congestion. a. Increased occurrences of rear end crashes.

b. Traffic control devices to be installed in
more numbers.
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune Radial or Star & Circular pattern

Concept:
Roads originating from centre are
connected by concentric roads.
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune
Radial or Star & Circular pattern - Merits & Limitations

Merits Demerits

1. Reduces traffic congestion and rear end a. Ensuring circular patterns is challenging.
crashes. b. Adequate width and margins to
2. Roundabouts and rotary patterns accommodate all types of vehicles in
streamlines traffic flow. Improves vehicle circular patterns.
efficiency and reduces emissions. c. More number of islands, splitter islands,
traffic control devices, pavement marking to
be provided.
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune Radial or Star & Grid pattern
Concept:
Adopted for planned development of area.
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune
Radial or Star & Grid pattern - Merits & Limitations

Merits Demerits

1. Improved land use efficiency. a. Direct movement not simple. Circuitous.

2. Adequate interconnections.
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune Star & Grid Pattern
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune Star & Grid Pattern – Merits & Limitations

Merits Demerits

1. Safe vehicular traffic due to more no. of 3 a. Traffic islands separating approach and exit
way traffic junctions/intersections. lanes (splitter islands) should be long and
2. Reduction in cut through traffic. wide.
3. Improved traffic flow. b. Traffic signs, pavement markings and
4. Improved efficiency in land use pattern and lighting should be adequate and prominent
unit density. for safe traffic flow.
c. Unregulated traffic may lead to frequent
traffic congestions.
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune Hexagonal Pattern
Concept:
Road network and area development in hexagonal shape.

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Canberra Civic Centre, Australia
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune
Hexagonal Pattern – Merits & Limitations

Merits Demerits

1. Three roads meeting at plot boundary.
a. Traffic signs, pavement markings and
lighting should be adequate and prominent
for safe traffic flow.
b. Unregulated traffic may lead to frequent
traffic congestions.
 MAEER’s
Road Patterns
Maharashtra Institute
of Technology, Pune Minimum Travel Pattern
Concept:
Adopted for city roads for short distance travel.