ROADSIDE SLOPE DESIGN FOR SAFETY

The design engineer needs objective criteria to aid him in selecting safe combinations of slopes for roadway design and in evaluating alternatives to achieve optimum roadside safety in his design. This paper is concerned with research efforts conducted under this project to provide objective criteria for safe slope combinations and various ditch configurations. The research approach involved simulated traversals of combinations of front and back slope from 3:1 to 6:1 using the TTI version of Calspans Highway Vehicle Object Simulation Model (HVOSM). Curves are presented to aid in evaluation of combination of slopes forming vee, round, trapezoidal, and rounded trapezoidal ditch configurations having widths to 16 ft (4.9 m). The principal tool used to evaluate or rate the slope combinations at the hinge-point and ditch was the severity index, based on an ellipsoidal mode of failure for tolerance to deceleration forces when these forces are applied to all three axes. The hinge-point region and front slope are also treated. Vehicle rollover does not appear to be a problem for slopes 3:1 or less for standard American-made vehicles.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/8674831
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  345 East 47th Street
  New York, NY  United States  10017-2398
• Authors:
  • Marquis, E L
  • Weaver, G D
• Publication Date: 1976-2

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 61-74
• Serial:
  • Journal of Transportation Engineering
  • Volume: 102
  • Issue Number: TE1
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0733-947X
  • Serial URL: https://ascelibrary.org/journal/jtepbs

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Ditches; Highway curves; Highway design; Highway safety; Slope stability
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00134756
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: ASCE #11922
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 13 1976 12:00AM