2. CONTENTS
Road geometrics: definition
Road cross sections: Terms used and their importance
• Carriage way
• Road Shoulder
• Formation Width
• Side slopes
• Berms
• Road margins
• Right of Way
• Kerbs
• Camber
• Gradient
Road Geometrics:1
3. ROAD GEOMETRIC
The physical features of a road are known as
road geometrics.
These physical features have direct connection
with the highway users.
These are provided in order to provide safety,
economy and comfort .
Road Geometrics:1
4. Glossary of terms used in road geometrics
Carriage way
Road Shoulder
Formation Width
Side slopes
Berms
Side Drains
Road margins
Right of Way
Kerbs
Camber
Gradient
Road Geometrics:1
9. Road Shoulders
• The shoulder is a strip of pavement outside an outer
lane.
• It is provided for emergency use by traffic and to
protect the pavement edges from traffic damage.
Road Geometrics:1
11. Formation Width
• The top width of a road embankment or the bottom
width of highway cutting is called formation width.
• It comprises of the carriageway width including traffic
separators plus shoulders on both sides.
Road Geometrics:1
13. Side Slopes
The slopes given to the sides of the earthwork of a
road in embankment or in cutting for its stability are
called side slopes.
Embankments - 1:1.5 , Cutting - 1:1
Road Geometrics:1
15. Berms
The portion of the land width left in between the toe
of the road embankment and inner edges of side
drains.
In cutting, it is portion in between the top edge of
road cutting and the nearest edge of the spoil banks.
Road Geometrics:1
17. Side drains
The function of the side drains (or ditches) is to
collect the water from the carriage way and
surrounding areas and dispose it off.
Road Geometrics:1
19. Road margins
The portion of the land width on the either side of the
roadway of a road are known as road margins.
Road margin = Side slope + Berm + Side drain
It may include parking lanes, cycle track,footpath or
guard rail.
Road Geometrics:1
20. Right of Way
• The area of land acquired and reserved for
construction and development of a road along its
alignment is called as right of way or permanent
land.
• The width of right of way is called Road land width.
Road Geometrics:1
21. Kerbs
• The boundaries between the pavement and
shoulders or footpaths are known as kerbs.
Road Geometrics:1
23. Camber
The convexity provided to the surface of the carriageway
or the rise given to the centre of carriageway above its
edges on straight portion of the road is called camber.
Road Geometrics:1
24. Objects of providing Camber
• To drain off the rain water from the surface of
the carriageway towards the sides of a road .
• To regulate the vehicles in their proper lanes.
• To improve the architectural appearance of the
roadway.
Road Geometrics:1
26. Gradient
The rate of rise or fall provided to the formation of the
road along its alignment is called gradient.
It is expressed as the ratio of rise or fall to the
horizontal distance like 1 in 300 or as percentage of rise
or fall.
Road Geometrics:1
27. Objects of providing gradient
To connect two stations situated at different levels.
To make earthwork of road project economical.
To provide effective drainage of rain water falling over
the road surface.
To reduce the maintenance cost of road surface.
Road Geometrics:1