Geometric Design of Highway Refers To The Deign of The Visible Dimensions of

INTRODUCTION
Geometric design of highway refers to the deign of the visible dimensions of

such features as horizontal and vertical alignments, cross sections, intersections, and
pedestrian facilities. The main objective of geometric design is to produce a highway
with safe, efficient, and economic traffic operation while maintaining aesthetic and
environmental quality. Geometric design is influenced by the vehicle, driver, and
traffic characteristics . The temporal changes of these characteristics make geometric
design a dynamic field where design guidelines are periodically updated to provide
more satisfactory design. How can proper geometric design of highway affects the
safeness of roads? Can it be the solution to the problems of road failures?
Last December 3, 2019, the group 2 in Highway Engineering, BS Civil
Engineering 4th year students of Isabela State University - Main Campus conducted a
survey at Infrastructure Office located at Isabela State University - Main Campus,
Admin Building. Arch Michael F. Evangelista and Engr. Jhondee Quistoria as their
respondents and they discussed primarily about designing the highway, its cross
section elements, sight distance consideration, width of pavement and cross slope.
Arch. Michael F. Evangelista said that the important of proper designs of highway is
to provide efficiency in traffic operations with maximum safety at reasonable cost,
thus the students became aware of its importance.
Highway engineers, as designers, strive to meet the needs of highway users while
maintaining the integrity of the environment. unique combinations of design controls
and constraints that are often conflicting call for unique design solutions. A Policy on
Geometric Design of Highways and Streets provides guidance based on established
practices that are supplemented by recent research. Policies on highway geometric
design in the Philippines are developed by Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH) and based from the American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials (AASHTO). These policies represent design guidelines
agreed to by the state highway and transportation departments.
Road building which includes its designs is a continuous process of study and
research, for up to this time there is no definite solution yet formulated to avert road
failures. The problems in this field are varied and enormous which according to some
experienced highway engineer “Seldom there is a single right answer to a particular
problem”
OBJECTIVES
This report was prepared primarily for those students taking Highway
Engineering as well as those who may be interested in learning the intracacies of road
building.
DISCUSSION
The following are the questions of the students with corresponding answers of
their respondents:
1. How can the following affect the designing of highway:

a. Volume of traffic
Volume of traffic can affect in designing highway because it is the basis

of the following: Number of lanes, width of concrete pavement and its
thickness. The higher the volume of traffic would be the higher the number
of lanes, width and thickness of pavement.
-Arch. Michael F. Evangelista
b. Character of the traffic
Traffic characteristics include traffic volume, directional distribution,

traffic composition, and speed. Design volume and composition determine
the highway type, required roadway width, and other geometric features. The
basic measure of the traffic demand for a highway is the average daily
traffic (ADT). This measure is used for selecting geometric design
guidelines for local and collector roads. For other highways, the design
hourly volume (DHV), a two-way volume, is used and is generally defined as
the 30th highest hour volume of a designated year.
Other volume characteristics required for the design year include

peak-hour factor and the percentages of trucks, buses, and recreational
vehicles in the design-hour volume.
-Engr. Jhondee Quistoria
c. Speed of traffic
Selection of design speed is influenced by topography, adjacent land use,
highway functional classification, and anticipated operating speed
d. Characteristics of motor vehicles and of the driver\
Highways should be designed to be compatible with driver capabilities

and limitations. Information about the performance of the drivers (how they
interact with the highway and its information) is useful in highway design
and operations. Since it is not generally possible to reduce errors caused by
innate driver deficiencies, a “forgiving” design that lessens the consequences
of failure should be implemented.

2. As an engineering body and construction arm of this institution, how do your office
oversee the contractors honesty and the projects quality specifically in the roads being
constructed right now?
In this school there are member of panel boards to assure and approved projects
of contractors. Before and after the contractor will begin their construction the
member of panel boards make a series of tests. Then if the contractor failed to the test
given by the panel then contractor will not operate.
3. What is the safe cut or fill slope in designing roads. Why?
When I design roads i usually used 1:2 ratios for earth fill and for cut slope with a
ratio of 1:1 slope. I used it because it is proven to stable.
4. Do you consider sight distance in deigning the roads? Why?
Yes, because sight distance is a length of road surface which a particular driver
can see with an acceptable level of clarity. Sight distance plays an important role in
geometric highway design because it establishes an acceptable design speed, based on
a driver's ability to visually identify and stop for a particular, unforeseen roadway
hazard or pass a slower vehicle without being in conflict with opposing traffic. As
velocities on a roadway are increased, the design must be catered to allowing
additional viewing distances to allow for adequate time to stop.
5. What are the factors you consider in designing the highway interchanges?
The selection of an interchange type and its design are influenced by many
factors including the following: speed, volume, and composition of traffic to be
served (e.g., trucks, vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians), number of intersecting legs,
and arrangement of the local street system (e.g., traffic control devices, topography,
right of way controls), local planning, proximity of adjacent interchanges, community
impact, and cost.

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INTRODUCTION

Geometric design of highway refers to the deign of the visible dimensions of

1. How can the following affect the designing of highway:

Volume of traffic can affect in designing highway because it is the basis

b. Character of the traffic

Traffic characteristics include traffic volume, directional distribution,

-Arch. Michael F. Evangelista

Other volume characteristics required for the design year include

-Engr. Jhondee Quistoria

-Engr. Jhondee Quistoria

d. Characteristics of motor vehicles and of the driver\

Highways should be designed to be compatible with driver capabilities

-Arch. Michael F. Evangelista

3. What is the safe cut or fill slope in designing roads. Why?

4. Do you consider sight distance in deigning the roads? Why?

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