HIGHWAY CURVE DESIGN FOR SAFE VEHICLE OPERATIONS
CURRENT DESIGN PRACTICE FOR HORIZONTAL CURVES ASSUMES THAT VEHICLES FOLLOW THE PATH OF THE HIGHWAY CURVE WITH GEOMETRIC EXACTNESS. THE ADEQUACY OF THIS ASSUMPTION WAS EXAMINED BY CONDUCTING PHOTOGRAPHIC FIELD STUDIES OF VEHICLE MANEUVERS ON HIGHWAY CURVES. RESULTS INDICATE THAT MOST VEHICLE PATHS, REGARDLESS OF SPEED, EXCEED THE DEGREE OF HIGHWAY CURVE AT SOME POINT ON THE CURVE. FOR EXAMPLE, ON A 3-DEG HIGHWAY CURVE, 10 PERCENT OF THE VEHICLES CAN BE EXPECTED TO EXCEED 4.3 DEG. A NEW DESIGN APPROACH IS PROPOSED. THIS APPROACH IS DEPENDENT ON SELECTING AN APPROPRIATE VEHICLE PATH PERCENTILE RELATION, A REASONABLE SAFETY MARGIN TO ACCOUNT FOR UNEXPLAINED VARIABLES THAT MAY EITHER RAISE THE LATERAL FRICTION DEMAND OR LOWER THE AVAILABLE SKID RESISTANCE, AND A MINIMUM SKID RESISTANCE VERSUS SPEED RELATION THAT THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT WILL PROVIDE ON ALL PAVEMENTS. /AUTHOR/
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Supplemental Notes:
- Sponsored by Committee on Geometric Highway Design. 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.
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Authors:
- Glennon, John C
- Weaver, Graeme D
- Publication Date: 1972
Media Info
- Media Type: Print
- Features: Figures; References; Tables;
- Pagination: pp 15-26
- Monograph Title: Geometric design implications and vehicle noise
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Serial:
- Highway Research Record
- Issue Number: 390
- Publisher: Highway Research Board
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Curves (Geometry); Design; Highway safety; Lateral placement; Skid resistance; Vehicle dynamics
- Uncontrolled Terms: Horizontal curvature; Vehicle path
- Subject Areas: Design; Highways;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00203664
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS, TRB
- Created Date: Sep 19 1972 12:00AM