CURRENT PRACTICES IN SHOULDER DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION

Five papers are published here related to: shoulder design and operation practices, criteria for geometric design and operation, structural design and construction, shoulder maintenance, and shoulder practices and performance in 2 states. The paper on design and operations, which reports the results of a survey, indicates agreement regarding shoulder criteria for the Interstate Highway System, the lack of design criteria in 13 states, and the fact that 4 states permit use of the shoulder to facilitate a passing maneuver. Further findings regarding edge lines and shoulder width are also presented. The second paper lists the desirable features and functions of a highway shoulder, and details geometric aspects such as width, cross slope, and continuity. Comments are also made on delineation and contrast. The third paper comments on construction in Illinois. The paper on maintenance experience in Missouri considers various types of shoulders such as sod shoulder, various type of granular shoulders, and rigid shoulder. A paper on the Illinois experience describes the use of a cemented subbase to alleviate the shoulder heave problem, the use of longitudinal pipe underdrains, and portland cement concrete shoulders. The paper on Texas practices discus as guardrail installations, and lists the benefits of the full depth shoulder section. The conference summary notes the need for: full depth monolithic pavements throught the entire width of the shoulder; the elimination of the "drop off" or raised shoulder at the right hand pavement edge; and eliminating shoulder structural distress due to traffic loadings.

• Record URL:
  https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trcircular/142/142.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Publication Date: 1973-4

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 15 p.
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Circular
  • Issue Number: 142
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board (HRB)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt pavements; Construction; Defects; Design; Drainage; Edge lines; Full-depth asphalt pavements; Geometric design; Granular materials; Guardrails; Highway maintenance; Operations; Pavement distress; Pavements; Performance; Road shoulders; Slopes; Striping; Traffic counts; Width
• Identifier Terms: Interstate Highway System
• Uncontrolled Terms: Design criteria; Heaving
• Old TRIS Terms: Heave
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Construction; Design; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Operations and Traffic Management; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00163836
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Oct 13 1977 12:00AM