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HIGHWAY DRAINAGE
UNIT 8
HIGHWAY DRAINAGE
OBJECTIVES
General Objective
Specific Objectives
INPUT
Due to percolation, if water table does not rise near of the road sub-grade,
it does not create any problem as it does not affect the road sub-grade. If water
table rises to the vicinity of road sub-grade, it requires to be lowered as it will
definitely affect road sub-grade. Measures adopted to lower the subsoil water
table are called sub surface drainage.
Highway Engineering C3010 / UNIT 8
HIGHWAY DRAINAGE
One of the major causes of road failure is its improper drainage. Improper
drainage of the road causes destruction in the following ways:
INPUT
SURFACE DRAINAGE
Except in hilly areas, where easy gradients are available along the main
streams, location of a highway along the streams involves construction of a large
number of drainage structures at immense cost, which, if possible should be
carefully avoided. Construction of high embankments involves erosion problems
which require careful handling. This fact may also be taken into account while
locating a highway. Drainage is, thus one of the essential considerations for the
location of a highway.
Side ditches are used along the roadway in cuts and on ground that is
fairly level and sometimes adjacent to embankments to prevent road water from
flowing over cultivated or otherwise improved land. These ditches are usually V-
shaped or trapezoidal, the former being generally preferred. However, the
trapezoidal ditches have a higher capacity.
Highway Engineering C3010 / UNIT 8
HIGHWAY DRAINAGE
All these items should be carefully studied before arriving at the Design
Discharge. For practical purposes, it may be assumed that for storms lasting 40
minutes or more a portion of water that falls on the adjoining lands also comes to
the ditches. The design of cross section whether V-shaped or trapezoidal should
be based upon these considerations.
0.3
to 0.6
to Shoulder
0.45m Slope
1.0m
45 to 60 cm
Intercepting Ditch
The primary function of a road side drainage ditch is to remove the surface
water efficiently. The ditch, therefore, should have adequate capacity to carry the
peak rate of run-off throughout the life of the roadway. This means that ditch
should maintain its originally designed cross-section and should neither erode
nor silt up. For this purpose, the slopes of the ditches are kept mild to protect the
ditch against erosion grass may be grown in it.
Kerbs and gutters are essential for the city streets to drain off the water
quickly and to maintain the cleanliness required. Usually, a kerb and gutter
combination is employed for the purpose. It is cast in concrete as one piece
though kerb and gutter combinations cut from stones are also employed for the
purpose.
The kerb and gutter combination are fixed at the edge of the roadway and
gullies are placed at suitable intervals. The gutters slope towards gully from both
sides and a longitudinal gradient of 1 in 100 to 1 in 120 is given to these. The
water from the gutter flows through the grating into the gully and is drained off
through an outlet pipe to a water sewer, which takes the water away to a natural
water channel.
Outlet
Pipe
14 cm
27 cm
SECTION AT GULLY
SLOPE: 1 IN 12
4 cm
20 cm
16 cm
15 cm
60 cm
Pavement Surface
10 cm
30 cm
30 cm
8 cm
Pipe drains as water sewers are widely used for removing surface water
and are sometimes desirable for carrying the water along roadways when
sufficient widths of right-of-way are not available for suitable ditch construction.
Vitrified clay sewer pipes and concrete sewer pipes are the most suitable.
Sewers properly designed and constructed in brick masonry are also used for the
purpose. In soils where settlement may occur, corrugated metal pipe is used. All
sections of corrugated metal pipe are connected with metallic bands.
Inlets are the openings from gutters or ditches into pipe drains or culverts
and are of various types. Along a rural highway, it may simply be a V-shaped or
straight concrete headwall with or without a paved approach. Drop inlets are
used where water has to be discharged into a drain or a culvert at a lower level.
Catch basins and manholes are usually of circular shape and are
generally connected to the drop inlets of pipe drains. They are spaced 150 to 300
meters apart depending upon the individual design requirement and are meant
for inspection.
Highway Engineering C3010 / UNIT 8
HIGHWAY DRAINAGE
INPUT
Stability and strength of the road surface depends upon the strength of the
sub grade. Sub-grade is the foundation layer of the road whose strength largely
depends upon its moisture content. With increase in moisture content, the
strength of the sub-grade decreases.
The first three methods of entrance of moisture are concerned with free
water, and last three methods are connected with ground water. In the case of
sub-surface drainage of the roads, every effort should be made to reduce the
change or variation in moisture content to minimum. It is better if sub-grade is
always kept dry, but in rainy season, some change in moisture content if sub-
grade is inevitable. It should be remembered that by provision of sub-soil
drainage, only gravitational water can be drained off, vapour water and cappillary
water cannot de drained by this system.
Highway Engineering C3010 / UNIT 8
HIGHWAY DRAINAGE
If underground water table is more than 1.5 m below the sub-grade of the
road, it does not require any sub soil drainage. But if it is closer than this, the
best remedy is to raise the road formation to such a height that sub grade
remains at least 1.2 m above the highest water table. But if due to other
consideration, it is not possible to increase the height of formation, and sub-
grade soil being drainable, deep side trenches should be constructed on both
sides of the road to lower the water table. These trenches are provided with drain
pipes and filled at the top by filter sand. The depth of trenches depends upon
amount of lowering of water table, lateral distance between trenches and type of
sub-grade soil.
If the sub-grade soil is of retentive type, only side trench drains may not
prove adequate, as at the centre of the pavement lowering of water table may not
take place up to the desired level. In that case, transverse drains may have to be
provided at suitable intervals along with the side longitudinal drains. Transverse
drains may be pipe drains or trapezoidal trench drains filled with stone or rubble.
Stone or rubble filled transverse drains are also called french or blind drains.
Transverse drains collect percolating water from the width of the pavement and
discharge it into the side drains. Transverse pipe drains are given a little slope
towards the side drains. The filter material surrounds the transverse trenches and
the top of these trenches is filled with graded rubble, the bigger size rubble being
nearer the pipe.
Sloping Ground
Pavement
Clay seal
Zone of Original
Filter Material
seepage flow Seepage
Flow
Lowered Seepage
If capillary rising water in very near to sub-grade of the road and is likely to
affect its strength, steps should be taken to arrest the capillary rise of water. In
the case of seepage, arresting of capillary rise is more useful than lowering the
water table. In fact lowering of under ground water table is only economical
method when sub-grade soil is of permeable type. In case of sub-grade having
retentive type of soil, drainage is very difficult and costly and checking its rise by
capillary cut-off’s proves more economical.
Granular
Material
Capillary Rise
Impermeable
Layer
Capillary Rise
INPUT
CROSS DRAINAGE
When a stream or river happens to cross the road alignment, facilities for
cross drainage has to be provided. When road alignment gets away from the
ridge line, the rain water on the area incircled by ridge and road alignment has to
be passed from one side of the road to the other lower side. At the point of
crossing, mansory structure known as cross drainage work or drainage structure
has to be constructed.
The commonly used cross drainage structure are the culverts and small
bridges. When linear water way between the inside faces of abutments of a
drainage structure is less than 6m, it is called a culvert. When linear water way
exceeds 3m, the cross drainage work is called a bridge. Thus culvert is just a
small bridge. Across small streams, culverts are constructed but in case of large
streams or rivers, bridges are constructed.
Slab culvert, Boc culvert, Arch culvert and Pipe culvert are the usual types
of culverts most commonly used for cross drainage works.
a. Pipe Culverts
Pipes may be made of stone ware, concrete, etc. Pipes should be laid
on 15 cm cement concrete bedding. A protective rubble apron should
be provided in sandy or clay beds.
Road Surface
b. Slab Culvert
These culverts have masonry abutments with stone slab over them. In
localities where stone is easily available, these culvert are mostly used.
These culverts are mostly used up to about 2 m span. Where stone
patties are not available, Rein-concrete slabs are used. Rein-concrete
slabs are designed as simply supported slabs. Span of rein-concrete
slab may be about 3 m.
Highway Engineering C3010 / UNIT 8
HIGHWAY DRAINAGE
Bed Pitching
These culverts are constructed where the nature of the soil below the
foundation is not suitable for individual footing under piers and
abutments. It is a monolithic rectangular drainage structure. The size of
the rectangular passage should not be less than 60cm X 60 cm for
easy cleaning of debris. Short span box cilverts can be precast.
d. Arch Culvert
This culvert is preferred under the conditions where high fillings are
envolved and there are heavier loadings on the culvert. Arches may be
built from brick, or stone masonry, or plain cement concrete. Span of
each arch should be kept less than 3 m.
Road Surface
Arch
Abutment
Bed Pitching
ACTIVITY 8
Highway Engineering C3010 / UNIT 8
HIGHWAY DRAINAGE
Question
FEEDBACK ON
ACTIVITY 8
Highway Engineering C3010 / UNIT 8
HIGHWAY DRAINAGE
Answer
1. Slab culvert, Box culvert, Arch culvert and Pipe culvert are the
usual types of culverts most commonly used for cross drainage
works.
2. Kerbs and gutters are essential for the city streets to drain off the
water quickly and to maintain the cleanliness required. Usually, a
kerb and gutter combination is employed for the purpose. It is cast
in concrete as one piece though kerb and gutter combinations cut
from stones are also employed for the purpose.
The kerb and gutter combination are fixed at the edge of the
roadway and gullies are placed at suitable intervals. The gutters
slope towards gully from both sides and a longitudinal gradient of 1
in 100 to 1 in 120 is given to these. The water from the gutter flows
through the grating into the gully and is drained off through an
outlet pipe to a water sewer, which takes the water away to a
natural water channel.
Highway Engineering C3010 / UNIT 8
HIGHWAY DRAINAGE
Question
1. What are the requirements for highway drainage? Describe the
entire requirement.
2. Draw and describe the following aspects: -
a. Box culvert.
b. Arch culvert
Highway Engineering C3010 / UNIT 8
HIGHWAY DRAINAGE
Answer
2. Box Culvert
These culverts are constructed where the nature of the soil below the
foundation is not suitable for individual footing under piers and
abutments. It is a monolithic rectangular drainage structure. The size of
the rectangular passage should not be less than 60cm X 60 cm for
easy cleaning of debris. Short span box cilverts can be precast.
Arch Culvert
This culvert is preferred under the conditions where high fillings are
envolved and there are heavier loadings on the culvert. Arches may be
built from brick, or stone masonry, or plain cement concrete. Span of
each arch should be kept less than 3 m.
Road Surface
Highway Engineering C3010 / UNIT 8
HIGHWAY DRAINAGE
Arch
Abutment
Bed Pitching