Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Chapter 5
Parking Lot Design
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
The parking lot is the first - and the last - is often overlooked. Pavements in parking
part of a building complex to be viewed by the areas that are initially under-designed can
user. It is the gateway through which all experience excessive maintenance problems
customers, visitors, and employees pass. This and a shortened service life.
first impression is very important to the
overall feeling and atmosphere conveyed to When properly designed and constructed,
the user. parking areas can be an attractive part of the
facility that is also safe, and most important,
Developers want their new facilities to be usable to the maximum degree. In addition,
attractive, well designed, and functional. parking areas should be designed for low
Though many hours are spent on producing maintenance costs and easy modification for
aesthetically pleasing building designs, the changes in use patterns.
same design consideration for the parking area
5-2 Parking Lot Design
The information in this chapter will provide Rules have been developed for optimizing
a general guide to proper parking area design, parking area space. Among them are the
construction, and facility layout. Minimum following:
pavement thickness designs are given for
various size parking lots, heavily-loaded areas, 1. Use rectangular areas where possible.
and industrial parking lots. In addition, this 2. Make the long sides of the parking areas
chapter gives comparable designs for both full parallel.
depth asphalt pavements and asphalt over 3. Design so that parking stalls are located
untreated aggregate base. along the lotÕs perimeter.
4. Use traffic lanes that serve two rows of
General Planning stalls.
In developing the parking area plan, several
important details should be considered. First
and foremost in the mind of the developer may Table 5-1. Recommended Parking Requirements
be providing the maximum parking capacity
in the available space while ensuring conveni- Land Use Spaces/Unit
ence and safety.
Residential
Single-Family 2.0/Dwelling
Multifamily
Efficiency 1.0/Dwelling
1 -2 Bedroom 1.5/Dwelling
Larger 2.0/Dwelling
Hospital 1.2/Bed
Auditorium/Theater/Stadium 0.3/Seat
Restaurant 0.3/Seat
Industrial 0.6/Employee
Church 0.3/Seat
College/University 0.5/Student
Retail 4.0/1000 GFA
Office 3.3/1000 GFA
Shopping Center 5.5/1000 GLA
Hotels/Motel 1.0/Room
If the locality does not have a zoning
0.5/Employee
ordinance identifying specific requirements for
Senior High Schools 0.2/Student
off-street parking, the general recommenda-
1.0/Staff
tions in Table 5-1 may be useful.
Other Schools 1.0/Classroom
Special attention should be given to the flow spaces for a given area but is the only
of traffic in and out of the lot as well as circu- acceptable angle for a herringbone parking lot
lating routes inside the lot. Keep entrances far pattern.
away from busy street intersections and from
lines of vehicles stopped at a signal or stop The 90¡ parking angle provides the most
sign. Be sure that the entering vehicles can parking spaces for a given area. The high
move into the lot on an internal aisle, thereby degree of difficulty for entering and leaving
avoiding entering congestion caused by in- these parking stalls makes this type of parking
volvement with turning vehicles. A pedestrian more suited to all-day parking, such as
traffic-flow study is important to provide in- employee parking. This angle is generally not
formation about both safety and convenience. preferred for Òin and outÓ lots such as those of
fast food restaurants and banks.
The use of Asphalt Concrete base (compared of the area should be completed so as to
to use of untreated aggregate base) will greatly eliminate yielding or pumping of the soil.
reduce the potential for problems related to
water strength and stability. The subgrade should be compacted to a
uniform density of 95 percent of the maximum
Subgrade Preparations density. This should be determined in
All underground utilities should be protect- accordance with Standard Proctor density
ed or relocated before grading. All topsoil (Test Method 103). The compaction require-
should be removed. Low-quality soil may be ment may substitute a specified number of
improved by adding granular materials, lime, diskings and roller coverages of each lift.
asphalt, or other mixtures. Laboratory tests are When finished, the graded subgrade should
recommended to evaluate the load-supporting not deviate from the required grade and cross
characteristics of the subgrade soil. However, section by more than 1/2 inch in 10 feet.
designs are frequently selected after careful
field evaluations based on experience and Prime Coat
knowledge of local soil conditions. An application of a low-viscosity liquid
asphalt may be required over untreated
The area to be paved should have all rock, aggregate base before placing the Asphalt
debris, and vegetation removed. The area Concrete surface course. A prime coat and its
should be treated with a soil sterilant to inhibit benefits differ with each application, and its
future flora growth. Grading and compaction use often can be eliminated. Discuss
requirements with the paving contractor.
5-6 Parking Lot Design
THICKNESS DESIGN FOR 2. Using soil data from the project, select a
PARKING LOTS subgrade class (good, moderate, or poor)
from Chapter 3. If no soil information is
Design thicknesses given in this section are known, use the poor classification for the
minimum values calculated on the volume and subgrade. (If the CBR value for the soil
type of traffic that will use the facility and on lies between the values given, use the
the load-supporting capability of the lower classification. )
underlying soils. For additional soil class
information, refer to Chapter 3. 3. Using the selected traffic class and
subgrade class, select a design thickness
Special truck lanes are sometimes required from Tables 5-3, 5-4, or 5-6. Use Table 5-5
to expedite traffic to loading areas, trash to design heavily-loaded areas.
dumpster sites, and equipment areas. Design
thicknesses for these lanes or pavement areas Design Example
should be increased. Drainage problems are
also a major cause of pavement failures. Their ¥ A new department store wishes to place
significance warrants a special section on a 350-car parking lot in front. A truck
drainage that should be reviewed before loading zone and dumpster site will be
selecting a pavement design either from this placed in back. From Chapter 3, traffic
guide or from any other source. class II is selected.
Table 5-3. Thickness Chart: Parking Lots with Less Than 50 Spaces
Table 5-4. Thickness Chart: Parking Lots with More Than 50 Spaces
Thickness in Inches
Design Criteria* Asphalt Concrete
Subgrade
Traffic Class Class CBR Base Surface Total
Thickness in Inches
Design Criteria* Asphalt Concrete
Traffic Class Subgrade
(ADT Class CBR Base Surface Total
Site paving is the recommended first step in 1. It ensures constant accessibility and
many types of building construction projects. provides a firm platform upon which
It offers several advantages as a working mat people and machines can operate efficiently,
or platform before building construction begins speeding construction.
for shopping centers, schools, manufacturing
concerns, warehouses, and similar facilities. 2. It provides a dry, mud-free area for
construction offices, materials storage, and
In this technique, an Asphalt Concrete base worker parking, eliminating dust control
course is constructed on a prepared subgrade expenditures.
over the entire area that will become parking
areas, service roadways, and buildings. When 3. It eliminates the need for costly select
building construction is completed, a final materialÑthe asphalt subfloor ensures a
Asphalt Concrete surface course is placed on floor slab that is dry and waterproof.
the asphalt base.
4. Steel-erection costs can be reduced because
Advantages a smooth, unyielding surface results in
Paving a building site before construction is greater mobility for cranes and hoists.
completed has several benefits. These include
the following:
5-14 Parking Lot Design
5. The engineer can set nails in the asphalt the bottom lift being a minimum of 3 inches.
pavement as vertical- and horizontal-control The material must be spread and compacted to
points, effectively avoiding the risk of loss the required thickness and density as specified
or disturbance of this necessary survey work. and in the grades and dimensions shown on
the plans.
6. Excavation for footings and foundations
and trenching for grade beams can be The surface of the base must not deviate
accomplished without regard for the more than 1/2 inch when measured with a 10-
asphalt base. foot straight edge.