Transportation Questions

SATYAJEET SAHU

STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE

1.​Find Stopping Sight Distance for a design speed of 100 kmph and reaction
time of 3 seconds on a descending gradient of 1 in 40 .The coefficient
of friction is 0.35. Answer 204 m
2.​A vehicle moving at 90 kmph on an ascending gradient has a lag to
braking distance of 4:5. If f = 0.35, find ascending gradient(in %)
Answer 5.8%
3.​A vehicle travelling at a certain speed takes 3 secs to stop. Skid marks
are 13.2 m. Find skid resistance (f). Answer 3 Secs
4.​The distance travelled by a vehicle after application of brakes is 70 m.
If the design speed is 80 kmph and coefficient of friction is 0.35, find
the ascending gradient of the road. Answer 1%
5.​The braking distance for a vehicle A travelling up a gradient is the
same as for a vehicle B travelling down the same gradient. If f = 0.33
and gradient 1 in 25. Find the ratio of their speeds. Answer 1.13
6.​For a road having stopping sight distance 120 m. Headlight sight
distance and Intermediate sight distance are . Answer 120 m,240 m
7.​The stopping sight distance (SSD)is 140 m for a design speed of 90 km/h.
The acceleration due to gravity and deceleration rate are 9.81 m/s2 and
3.5 m/s2 respectively. The perception/reaction time (in sec) used in the
SSD calculation is Answer 2.02
8.​The braking distance on an upward gradient with speed of 80 kmph and
coefficient of friction 0.37 is 62.21 m. Find the increase % in braking
distance if gradient is reduced to half of its value (round to two
decimal places) Answer 4.52
9.​Stopping sight distance(in m) for an ascending highway stretch is given
by 2.5v+0.134v2. where v is design speed (in m/s), f = 0.35. Find the
gradient % Answer 3
OVERTAKING SIGHT DISTANCE

1.​Speeds of overtaking and overtaking vehicles are 80 kmph and 50 kmph

respectively .Acceleration of the vehicle is a = 2.5 kmph/s. Spacing
between vehicles = 16 m.It’s a 4-lane divided highway.Find Overtaking
Sight Distance ( in m) . Answer 193 m
2.​Overtaken Vehicle is B and Overtaking Vehicle is A. Average acceleration
= 0.9 m/s2 .If Speed of Overtaken vehicle is 50 kmph, Find distance x
(in m). Answer 183.9 m

3.​ A car follows a slow moving truck (travelling at a speed of 10 m/s) on

a two-lane two-way highway. The car reduces its speed to 10 m/s and
follows the truck maintaining a distance of 16 m from the truck. On
finding a clear gap in the opposing traffic stream, the car accelerates
at an average rate of 4 m/s2, overtakes the truck and returns to its
original lane. When it returns to its original lane, the distance
between the car and the truck is 16 m. The total distance covered by the
car during this period (from the time it leaves its lane and
subsequently returns to its lane after overtaking) is Answer 72 m
4.​The overtaking operation for overtaking vehicle requires 10.24 seconds
to ​ leave its lane, overtake and come back to its original lane. If
safe distance ​ between vehicles is 23 m, the average acceleration
(m/s2) of overtaking ​ vehicle. Answer 0.88
5.​The time taken by an overtaking vehicle to leave its lane, overtake and
come back to its original lane is 10 seconds. Find speed of the
2
overtaken vehicle, if average acceleration is 0.88 m/s . Average length
of the vehicle is 6 m. Answer 80 kmph
CAMBER AND SUPERELEVATION

1.​Find superelevation(in %)for radius of curve 350 m as per IRC .Design

speed is 90 kmph. Answer 7%
2.​On hilly terrain ,find superelevation(in %) for mixed traffic conditions
and radius of curve 370 m .Design speed is 80 kmph. Answer 7.7%
3.​On a 370 m radius horizontal curve , find the coefficient of friction
when developed is 0.15. Find the value of superelevation ( in %) for
speed of 90 kmph. Answer 2.24%
4.​Find the allowable speed ( in kmph) on a curve of radius 400 m if
superelevation is 5% and f = 0.13. Answer 95.6 kmph
5.​Find the minimum value of friction required on a curve of radius 240 m,
if superelevation is 6% and speed of vehicle is 77 kmph. Answer 0.135.
6.​Find the minimum radius (in m) if maximum superelevation is 6% ,
coefficient of friction is 0.13 and design speed is 80 kmph.
Answer 265.2 m
7.​Find the radius ( in m) beyond which superelevation is not required
when camber of 4% is provided on a curve with design speed of 80 kmph.
Answer 711.11 m
8.​For parabolic camber shown on a two lane road, find the value of h (in
cm). Camber provided is 1 in 50. Answer 4.17 cm

9.​For a design speed of 28 m/s and radius of curve 330 m, find the value
of super elevation if friction is fully developed. Coefficient of
lateral friction = 0.15 Answer 9.22%
EXTRA WIDENING

1.​For a design speed of 80 kmph , length of wheel base 9.2 m and radius of
curve 280 m , find the following for a two-lane road.

(i) Off tracking ( in m)

(ii)Psychological Widening ( in m)

(iii)Mechanical Widening ( in m)

(iv) Total width of road at curve location ( in m )

Answer (i) 0.151 m (ii) 0.503 m (iii) 0.302 (iv) 7.805 m

2.​The mechanical widening of a 2-lane road of curve of R = 250 m is

one-third of psychological widening. Find design speed if length of
wheel base = 7 m . Answer 88.32 kmph
3.​The design speed for a two-lane road is 80 kmph. When a design vehicle
with a wheelbase of 6.6 m is negotiating a horizontal curve on that
road, the off- tracking is measured as 0.096 m. The required widening of
carriageway of the two-lane road is Answer 0.75 m
TRANSITION CURVE

1.​For a design speed of 85 kmph and radius of curve 280 m on a plain

terrain, find the following for a two-lane road. Find the Length of
transition curve as per rate of change of centrifugal acceleration.
Answer 94 m
2.​Transition curve is provided for a horizontal curve of radius 300 m on a
2 lane road. Design speed is 75 kmph, length of wheel base is 8m and
rate of introduction of superelevation is 1 in 120 m . Find the length
of the transition curve ( in m). Answer 64.43 m
3.​Find the speed for which minimum value of rate of change of centrifugal
acceleration (c in m/s3) is obtained as per IRC 73. Answer 85 kmph
GRADE COMPENSATION

1.​For an initial gradient of 5.5 % , find the grade compensation when a

horizontal curve of 40 m is also encountered. Answer 1.5%
2.​On a hill road with a ruling gradient of 6%, a horizontal curve of
radius 50 m is encountered. The grade compensation (in percentage) to be
provided for this case would be Answer 1.5
3.​A road in a hilly terrain is to be laid at a gradient of 4.5%. A
horizontal curve of radius 100 m is laid at a location on this road.
Gradient needs to be eased due to the combination of curved horizontal
and vertical profiles of the road. As per IRC, the compensated gradient
(in %) is Answer 4
4.​For a horizontal curve on a highway section with radius 50 m is ahead
of a gradient of 1 in 16. Compensated gradient is 1 in N. Value of N is
Answer 21.05
VERTICAL CURVES

1.​For a vertical curve provided with initial gradient 4% and final

gradient -3.5% , find the horizontal and vertical distance of PVI from
PVC if stopping sight distance is 140 m. Answer 167 m,6.68 m
2.​Find the length of the valley curve (in m) for vehicles having average
headlight of 0.8 m and light beam angle of 2.5 degree with horizontal .
Stopping sight distance is 120 m and change of gradient is 7%.
Answer 67.45 m
3.​Length of valley curve as per comfort criteria is 38.53 m change of
gradient = 5.7%. Find design speed (in kmph). Answer 56.7 kmph
4.​A vertical summit curve on a freight corridor is formed at the
intersection of two gradients. +3.0% and -5.0%.

Design speed = 80 kmph

Eye height of drivers above the road surface = 2.30 m.
Height of object above the road surface = 0.35 m
Total reaction time of the drivers = 2.0 s
Coefficient of longitudinal friction of the road = 0.36

The design length of the summit curve (in meters) to accommodate the
stopping sight distance is Answer 117.8 kmph

5.​For a summit curve formed by gradients of +3% and – 2%, the summit was
located 120 m from the beginning of the curve. Find the sight distance
(in m) if it was designed for stopping sight distance. Answer 132.67
6.​A summit curve is formed when +5% gradient meets –3% gradient.length of
the curve is 589 m. Equation of the summit curve is y = A x 10-4 x2 .
Find A ​ Answer 0.68
SETBACK DISTANCE

1.​For a six lane divided highway, a horizontal curve of 200 length and
radius 200 m is provided. Find setback distance for a stopping sight
distance of 250 m. Answer 46.8 m
2.​The following data are related to a horizontal curved portion of a
two-lane highway: length of curve = 200 m, radius of curve = 300 m and
width of pavement = 7.5 m. In order to provide a Stopping Sight Distance
(SSD) of 80 m, the set back distance (in m) required from the center
line of the inner lane of the pavement Answer 2.68 m
3.​For a 4 lane road, find setback distance from inner edge if length of
curve is 250 m, radius of curve is 300 m and sight distance is 200 m.
Answer 15.1 m
TRAFFIC FLOW CHARACTERISTICS
1.​ Find flow (veh/hr) for 2 lane road

(i) If time headway is 2.4 seconds

(ii) If length of vehicles is 11 m and design speed is 70 kmph

Answer (i) 3000 (ii) 5600

2.​The space mean speed for 5 vehicles is 40 km/hr. If the speed of the
first four vehicles are 45,52, 30 and 40 km/hr. Find the speed of the
fifth vehicle (km/hr). Answer 40
3.​A moving observer sees the flows of 400 veh/hr and 1200 veh/hr while
travelling along and against the traffic flow respectively. If the speed
of the observer in both cases is 25 km/hr. Find the speed of the traffic
stream for a stationary observer (in km/hr). Answer 50
4.​For a traffic density of 40 vehicles/km, time-mean speed and space-mean
speed are 40 kmph and 30 kmph respectively, the average headway (in
seconds) between the vehicles is Answer 3
5.​The flow on a road section observed by a stationary observer is 600
veh/hr.The flow observed by a moving observer moving against traffic
stream movement at 20 km/hr is 900 veh/hr. Find the traffic density
(veh/km) Answer 15
6.​Find (i) Design Speed (ii) Upper Speed Limit (iii) Lower Speed Limit

Speed (kmph) Frequency

60 10

70 25

80 65

90 110

100 150

120 30

140 10

Answer (i) 124 kmph (ii) 98.67 kmph (iii) 73.85 kmph
TRAFFIC FLOW MODELS
1.​V = 80-0.64 K

(i) Find maximum flow (veh/hour).

(ii) Density(veh/km) for which flow is 2000 veh/hour.

Answer (i) 2500 (ii) 90.45 , 34.55

2.​For linear relationship between speed and density, free mean speed is 80
km/hr and jam density is 140 Veh/km. Find density (Veh/km) which will
have the same flow as when density is 87 Veh/km. Answer 53
3.​V = 90ln(70/k).The percentage change in maximum flow if the green shield
model is adopted in place of the model adopted above. Answer 32%
4.​Free mean speed on a road is 75 km/hr. If the maximum flow on this road
1875 veh/hr, find the average length of vehicles on this road if there
is a linear relation between speed and density. Answer 10 m
5.​V = 80 – 0.8 k .The speed of shockwave when density changes from 30
veh/km to 55 veh/km is Answer 12 km/hr
PEAK HOUR FACTOR
1.​Find 10 minute peak hour factor

Interval Traffic Volume

6:00 - 6:10 pm 35

6:10 - 6:20 pm 65

6:20 - 6:30 pm 90

6:30 - 6:40 pm 110

6:40 - 6:50 pm 70

6:50 - 7:00 pm 30

Answer 0.61

2.​The 5 min peak hour factor for a road is 0.75. If the maximum volume of
vehicles arriving in any five mins of peak hour is 300. Find the peak
hour volume. Answer 2700
3.​The 15 min interval volumes in the peak hour are in arithmetic
progression 15 min peak hour factor is (2/3). Find the peak hour volume,
if the first 15 min traffic volume is 240 vehicles. Answer 1920
POISSON DISTRIBUTION IN TRAFFIC
1.​For a mean arrival rate of 800 vehicles per hour , find the probability
of time headway being greater than 6 seconds. Answer 26.36%
2.​Find the mean arrival rate (vehicles per hour) ,if probability of time
headway being greater than 4 seconds and less than 8 secs is 23.25%
Answer 900
3.​At a traffic intersection, cars and buses arrive randomly according to
independent Poisson processes at an average rate of 4 vehicles per hour
and 2 vehicles per hour, respectively. The probability of observing at
least 2 vehicles in 30 minutes is (round off to two decimal places).
Answer 0.8
4.​At a point on the road, the probability of time headway being more than
12 secs is 5%. The probability of time headway falling between 8 and 16
seconds is. Answer 11.7%
5.​On a road, an average of 120 vehicles arrive in 1 hour. Find probability
of at least 3 vehicles arriving in 1 minute interval Answer 32.3%
WEBSTER SIGNAL DESIGN
1.​At the intersection of two four lane roads, two phase signals are
provided. The first phase is for E-W movements and second phase N-S
movements. Total lost time per cycle is 9 seconds. If saturation flow
is 1800 veh/h, optimum cycle length (as per Webster) (round off to
nearest integer) is Answer 37 seconds
2.​The effective green time for 2nd phase of a 3 phase signal system is
19.8 ​seconds. optimum cycle length is 65 seconds and critical flow ratio
for second phase is 0.25. Find the lost time per phase Answer 3.22 s
3.​The saturation headway for all phases of a 4-phase signal system is 2.5
seconds. The normal flows are in geometric progression with common ratio
two. If lost time per phase is 2.5 seconds and cycle length is 120
seconds. Find minimum normal flow for any phase (in veh/hr) Answer 80
4.​For a four phase signal system, lost time per phase is 4 seconds. The
cycle length is 145 seconds. If critical flow in each phase is 300
veh/hr. Find the saturation headway (in secs) Answer 2.4
5.​A pre-timed four phase signal has critical lane flow rate for the first
three phases as 200, 187 and 210 veh/hr with saturation flow rate of
1800 veh/hr for all phases. The lost time is given as 4 seconds for each
phase. If the cycle length is 60 seconds, the effective green time (in
seconds) of the fourth phase is. Answer 15.75
WEBSTER DELAY MODEL
1.​For an approach road, on a signalized intersection average delay per
vehicle is 12.5 secs. If red time = 30 secs and cycle length 60 s, find
the saturation flow (veh/hr) if vehicle arrival rate is 20 veh/min.
Answer 3000
2.​The uniform arrival and uniform service rates observed on an approach
road to a signalized intersection are 20 and 50 vehicles/minute,
respectively. The red time is 30 s, the effective green time is 30 s,
and the cycle length is 60 s.The average delay per vehicle using the
approach road during a cycle length (in s) is Answer 12.5
IRC 37 - DESIGN OF FLEXIBLE PAVEMENTS
1.​ Find ESAL Answer 2135

2.​ Find Vehicle Damage Factor Answer 7.94

3.​In the Axle load survey, the weight of the tandem axle was found to be
175 kN . Find Vehicle damage factor . Answer 1.96
4.​Taking into account 2.5 mm penetration, CBR is estimated at 8% for a
particular subgrade A. Load required for 2.5 mm penetration in subgrade
A is found to be the same as that for 5 mm penetration in subgrade B.
Find CBR % of subgrade B . Answer 5.33
5.​Find CBR % . Answer 7.71

6.​Find the vehicle damage factor for a truck having a single front axle
load of 90 kN and tandem rear axle of 150 kN. Answer 2.66
DESIGN TRAFFIC
1.​A two lane two way road is widened into a six lane divided highway.
Design life n = 15 years, annual rate of growth = 5% ,vehicle damage
factor = 2.5, initial traffic at time of survey was 5000 commercial
vehicles per day in both directions. Directional split is 40:60,
construction period = 6 months .The design traffic in terms of
cumulative number of standard axles (in msa) is Answer 36.32
2.​For a six lane divided carriageway, initial traffic in each direction is
2000 cvpd. Annual rate of growth = 6%, Design life = 12 years vehicle
damage factor = 2.1.Find the design traffic (in msa) Answer 15.52
3.​An existing two lane single carriageway highway is widened into a four
lane divided highway. The traffic in both directions is 4600 cvpd with
directional split of 56:44. For a design period of 12 years and annual
growth rate of 8%, Find the cumulative standard axles (in MSA)
considered for design (round to nearest multiple of 5 ) (Assume vehicle
damage factor twice of lane distribution factor) Answer 20
4.​Find the design traffic (in msa) for a design period of 10 years for a
four lane divided highway. Answer 12.95

5.​For a single carriageway single lane two-way road, design traffic for a
10 year period was estimated to be 30 msa . If growth rate per year is
5% and vehicle damage factor is 2.4, find initial traffic in each
direction (in cvpd- commercial vehicles per day) Answer 1361.4
RIGID PAVEMENT
1.​Load for 1.25 mm settlement on a 75 cm plate = 3700 kg.

Thickness of pavement slab = 18 cm.

Poisson Ratio of Concrete = 0.15.
Modulus of elasticity of concrete = 2.8 x 106 kg/cm2
Wheel load = 4100 kg , tyre pressure = 7 kg/cm2
Find a,b,k,l .
Answer a = 13.654 cm , b = 12.796 cm , k = 6.7 kg/cm3 , l = 120 cm

2.​Tie bars of 12 mm diameter and permissible tensile stress 200 MPa were
provided in cement concrete pavement slab. If bond stress is 1.8 MPa
between concrete and tie bar, the design Length of tie bar (in mm)
(round to nearest integer) is Answer 679

3.​The percentage change in radius of relative stiffness of a cement

concrete slab when its thickness is increased by 20%. Answer 14.65
MARSHALL MIX DESIGN
1.​Find the percentage of air voids if the Marshall sample has a mass of
1100 gm and volume 463 cc.

Answer Air Voids 2.95% , Bitumen 11.65 % , VMA =14.6 % , VFB = 79.85%

2.​In a Marshall sample, the bulk specific gravity of mix and aggregates
are 2.318 and 2.586 respectively. The sample includes 5.5% of bitumen
(by total weight of mix) of specific gravity 1.12. The theoretical
maximum specific gravity of the mix is 2.464. The void filled with
bitumen (VFB) in the Marshall sample is. Answer 65.8%
3.​For a bituminous mix, VMA = 14.6% If VFB = 75%, Find percentage air
voids (%) in the mix. Answer 3.65
GEOMETRIC DESIGN OF RAILWAY TRACK
1.​ Grade Compensation for BG Curve of Radius 700 m is (Round to one
decimal place.) Answer 0.1%
2.​Cant excess for a train travelling at 45 kmph is 3.8 cm. Find cant
deficiency (in mm) for a train travelling at 92 kmph on 2° BG curve
(round to one decimal) Answer 63.4
3.​A horizontal curve of radius 1080 m in a Broad Gauge railway track is
designed and constructed for an equilibrium speed of 70 kmph.. The
maximum allowable cant deficiency is 10 cm.The maximum restricted speed
(in kmph) of the express trains running on this track is (rounded off to
nearest integer) Answer 113
4.​Find cant provided (in cm) for a MG 2.5° curve Answer 4.1

5.​The cant deficiency for a train travelling at 85 kmph on a BG curve is

70 mm. If cant provided is 67 mm, find radius of curve(in m)[Round to
nearest multiple of 5] Answer 725
6.​For a BG curve of degree 2, the allowable speed on Curve is 91.65 kmph.
Find the speed (in kmph) for which actual cant is provided if maximum
cant deficiency is 75 mm. Answer 60.3
7.​For a BG track of gradient 1 in 250, a curve of 2° is introduced. The
compensated permissible gradient at curve location is 1 in N. Value of N
is Answer 312.5
AIRPORT ENGINEERING
1.​The standard temperature of an airport is 11.23°C. Find the elevation
correction % (round to one decimal place) Answer 13.5
2.​A runway is-being constructed in a new airport.The elevation and the
airport reference temperature of this airport are 535 m above the mean
sea level and 22.65°C, respectively. Consider the effective gradient of
the runway as 1%. The length of runway required for a design-aircraft
under the standard conditions is 2000 m. The length of runway corrected
for the temperature is Answer 2500 m
3.​Find Effective Gradient Correction Answer 8.33%

4.​The mean maximum daily temperature and mean average daily temperature
for the hottest month are 30°C and 21°C respectively. Elevation of the
airport is 100 m above mean sea level.Temperature Correction of the
runway is Answer 9.65%
5.​Elevation corrected runway length for an airport runway (basic length
1800 m) at a certain elevation above MSL is 1968 m. Find the standard
temperature of Airport (in°C) Answer 12.4
6.​The gradient for a runway is 0.15% if basic runway length is 1800 m and
maximum allowed combined correction for temperature and elevation
applied, find final corrected runway length. Answer 2503 m
7.​The airport reference temperature of an airport is 17°C. If elevation of
airport is 900 m, the combined correction of elevation and temperature
is (in %) Answer 30.5%
8.​For the hottest month may , find the Airport reference temperature

Answer 34.8°C