LOCATION AND DESIGN OF ROADS IN SNOW-DRIFT AREAS

LOKALISERING AG UTFORMING AV VEGER I DRIVSNOOMRADER

The article deals with the main criteria for the location of the road in relation to certain physical details and prevailing winds, and design rules for the cross section profiles of mountain roads are proposed. The latter has been established on the basis of model tests using sand in running water to simulate drifting snow. The features investigated were embankment gradients, crest curvature and the effects of guardrails. In the case of cuttings the effects of a wide ditch on the windward side of the road were examined. It is recommended that embankments be designed with an effective embankment height equal to the height of the local snow depths and a curvature at the crest of radius twice the embankment height. The slopes should have a gradient of 1:2 and guardrails should be avoided. Instead of guardrails gentler slopes should be employed where necessary. In areas with heavy snowdrifts, road cuttings should be designed so that a line drawn from the snow surface at the edge of the cutting to the verge of the road forms an angle with the slope of the ground of 1:6, 5 measured in the direction of the wind. In particularly hilly areas and in areas with small quantities of drifting snow, cuttings are recommended with a 3-metres wide ditch and the same gradient as lowland cuttings. To obtain the full effect of the ditch, snow should be removed from the ditch after each snowstorm. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Norweigan Road Research Laboratory

  Postboks 8109, Gaustadalleen 25
  Oslo,   Norway 

  Statens Veglaboratorium

  Gaustadalleen 25
  Oslo,   Norway 
• Authors:
  • Norem, H
• Publication Date: 1975-12

Language

• Norwegian

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: p. 19-30
• Serial:
  • Meddelelser Fra Veglaboratoriet
  • Issue Number: 49
  • Publisher: Norweigan Road Research Laboratory

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cold weather; Cross sections; Cutting; Ditches; Embankments; Guardrails; Highway design; Highway grades; Highways; Location; Mathematical models; Mountain roads; Mountains; Operations; Roads; Simulation; Slopes; Snow; Snowdrifts; Wind
• Uncontrolled Terms: Highway location; Models
• Geographic Terms: Norway
• Old TRIS Terms: Crest
• ITRD Terms: 6404: Cross section; 2812: Cutting (earthworks); 2551: Drifting snow; 2801: Embankment; 2855: Highway design; 2717: Mountain pass; 8084: Norway; 2552: Snow; 2554: Wind
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Design; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Planning and Forecasting; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I62: Winter Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00136436
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Norwegian State Highway Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 16 1976 12:00AM