Transportation Engineering

Prepared By: Md. Nazim Uddin

1. Calculate the angularity number of aggregates sample relative density of aggregates is

2.8, weight of water required to fill cylinder is 2500 kg, mass of cylinder filled with
compacted aggregate = 5150 kg and mass of cylinder is 1100 kg. [BUET, PGCB-2015]
(Ans: AN = 9)

2. Calculate Time Mean Speed and Space Mean Speed for the values of 55, 60, 45, 95 and
60 mile/hr ? [BUET, TGTDCL-2018] (Ans: TMS=63 mile/hr; SMS=59.338 mile/hr)

3. Find out the Time Mean Speed and Space Mean Speed of the following data:

Run Travel time (min) Length of road (mile)

1 2 2
2 2.4 2
3 3.0 2
(Ans: TMS=0.833 mile/min; SMS=0.8108 mile/min)

4. Three cars travel over a 65 m section at constant speed of 18 m/s, 19 m/s, and 22 m/s.
Compute TMS and SMS. (Ans: TMS=19.67 m/s; SMS=19.52 m/s)

5. Determine the set back from an obstruction to the C.L of the road which radius of
curvature is 300 m and sight distance is 100 m. (Ans: m= 4.16 m)

6. The radius of the C.L of circular curve is 2000 ft and the sight distance required 1200 ft.
The length of curve is 1000 ft. Find out the set back from obstruction to the C.L. (Ans:
m= 87.5 ft)

7. Calculate the stopping sight distance on a grade highway for a design speed of 85 kmph.
Perception reaction time is 2.5 sec and co-efficient of friction 0.35. when a) grade is 4%
descending, b) 3% asceding, c) road is flat. (Ans: a) SSD=150.686 m, b) SSD=133.80 m,
c) SSD=140.2 m)

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8. Calculate the safe stopping sight distance for design speed of 60 kmph for
a) Two way traffic on a two lane road.
b) Two way traffic on a single lane road.
Assume coefficient of friction 0.38 and reaction time as 2.5 sec. (Ans: a) SSD=78.93 m:
b) SSD=157.85 m)

9. Calculate the minimum sight distance required to avoid a head on collision of two buses
approaching from the opposite directions. The speed of both the buses in 70 kmph.
Assume a total perception and brake reaction time of 2.5 sec. Coefficient of friction is 0.4
and brake efficiency in 50%. (Ans: SD= 289.81 m) [SGCL-2017]

10. Determine the suitable rail section for a locomotive to carry axle load of 22.50 tones.
(Ans: Weight of rail = 46.14 kg/m)

11. A transition curve is to be used to join the ends of a 3.94 0 circular curve with the straight.
The length of the transition curve is 120 m. Work out shift and offsets at every 30 m
interval? (Ans: S=1.37 m; Y30=8.58 cm; Y60=68.65 cm; Y90=231.70 cm; Y120=549.20 cm)
𝑋3
(Hints: Y= )
6𝑅𝐿

12. Find out the length of transition curve for a B.G curve of three degrees, having a cant of
10 cm. The maximum permissible speed on the curve is 80 km p.h and allowable cant
deficiency is 75 mm. (Ans: L = 72 m)

13. Find the number of sleepers for rails of 12.80 m length with sleeper density as ( n + 3).
(Ans: N = 16)

14. The radius of tyre imprint is approximated to a circle of 150 mm. What is the maximum
loading duration on a particle point of pavement by a truck moving at a speed 60 kmph?
𝐷
[BUET, Job exam] (Ans: t=0.018 sec) (Hints: t = )
𝑣

15. A rising grade of 1 in 100 meets a rising grade of 1 in 200. Will it be necessary to
provide the vertical curve? (Ans: Vertical curve will be provided less than 5 mm/m,
therefore 4 mm/m) (Hints: Vertical curve=𝑔1 − 𝑔2 )

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16. The bituminous road has 3.8 m wide carriage way. Calculate height of crown above the
edges. (Ans: h=3.96 cm =4 cm) [Hints: providing camber 1 in 48]

17. A road of width 7.6 m is to be laid. Calculate the maximum height of crown in case of
both straight line and parabolic camber of cement concrete road? If camber value 1.7%
for light rainfall cement concrete road. (Ans. y1 = 6.46 cm & y2 = 6.46 cm )

18. ADT=20000. Find design hourly volume, where assume k=0.1? (Ans: DHV=2000
vehicle per hour) [EGCB-2014, BUET]

19. A two lane two way highway street having ADT 4000 and if commercial vehicle 45%
and loads 27 k. Then calculate ESAL for commercial vehicle in one direction. (Ans:
ESAL=4556) [BIFCL-2015, BUET] (If given public vehicle 55%, then commercial
vehicle = 100% - 55%)

20. One million repetition of 100 kN axle load. Find ESAL. (Ans.: ESAL=2.44 x 10 6 KN)

21. Determine the ESAL if load repetition is 1.5 million and axle laod is 27 kip. [Ans.:
ESAL=7593750 kip] (BGFCI)

22. Determine the angle of banking of a road, if V=90 Km/h, R=300 ft, fs=0.17 using the
v2
following formula: = − fs . (Answer: θ = 3.833°) [M.Sc-2018, BUET]
gR

23. For the following data determine ADT in terms of PCU.

Vehicle No./Hr. PCU
Car 100 1.0
Bus 10 2.5
Truck 5 3.0
Motor Cycle 20 0.15
Rickshaw 50 0.5
Hourly expansion factor (HEF)=42
(Ans: ADT=7056 Veh./day) [BWDB-2016, SAE, BUET]

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24. For a rural highway with an ADT of 20000 vehicle per day. Determination DHV for the
peak direction of travel. (Ans: DHV=3000 vehicle per hour) (using, k=0.15)

25. Flow modulus of a city is given. For 25% area is 2.84, for 50% area is 3.12, for 15% area
is 1.32 and for 10% area is 1.82. Find the combined flow modulus of the city. (Ans.; Flow
modulus = 2.65) [BPDB & Bank]

26.An Engineer checking the speed characteristics confidence level 95%, acceptable limit
1.0 kmph and 130 spot speed variance 25 kmph. Has engineer meet the entire
requirement? (For 95% confidence level Z=1.96) [Ans.: Engineer meet the entire
𝑍∗𝜎 2
requirement] (𝑁 = ( ) )
𝑉

27. Determine the total green time for a 2 face traffic signal having cycle time, C=66 s,
Green time for NS direction, GNS=24 s, Green time for EW direction, GEW=27 s? [Ans.:
Total green time=15 sec]

28. If the most optimistic time of an activity equal to 6 days, most likely (Probable) time 8
days and most pessimistic time 16 days. Find expected time of completion of activity.
[Ans.: tE=9 days]

29. Two close wheel imparted 20.5 kN load each on road. The applied pressure is 0.7 MPa.
If the two wheel of same property, find out the imparted effective diameter of soil (by
considering circular imparted effect) by the single wheel? [Ans.: d=0.273 m]

30. The utility value for bus, car and walk are 2.3, 2.1, and -3.4 respectively. Using logic
mode, find the mode share %. [Mode share for bus=54.88%, car=44.93%, walk=0.18%]

31. Workout the maximum speed of train on a B.G track having a curvature of three degrees
and cant of 10 cm. Assume allowable cant deficiency as 75 mm. (Ans.: v=87.22 kmph)
[Hints: S.E=Gv2/gR (m/s), v=4.4√R − 70 kmph, BCS]

32. What should be the equilibrium cant on a M.G curve of five degrees for an average speed
of 60 km/hr? Also find out the maximum permissible speed after allowing the maximum
cant deficiency. (Ans.: SE=0.0825 m, v=72.81 km/hr)

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33. What should be the equilibrium cant on a B.G curve of two degrees for a speed of 80
km/hr? If the maximum permissible speed of train 100km/hr, then is the train safe on its
movement? Cant deficiency=75 mm. (Ans.: SE = 0.098 m, 106.2 km/hr>100 km/hr, so
the train is safe on its movement.)

34. A directional sign is needed, highway turn-off 85th percentile speed is 50 mph, vehicle
turn at design speed is 25 mph, car travel at 50 mph during perception and reaction time,
using perception and reaction time is 2.5 sec to read and understand the sign and
decelerate (or brecking) at 0.3g. What is the maximum distance the direction sign should
be placed in advance of the turn off? (Ans.: d = 392.05 ft)

35. A vehicle travelling at a speed of 36 kmph is stopped by applying break. Skid length 5.8
m. Find average skid resistance. (Ans.: f = 0.878)

36. If the traffic using the pavements groves at an annual rate of 4%. Determine the design
ESAL for 20 years. Design period first year ESAL 87900. (Ans.: Design ESAL=
2617493.107)

37. Standard rail length of BG track is 12.80 m, if 45 kg/m rail is used in a particular BG
track in Rajshahi, What is the total weight of each individual rail girder? What maximum
axle load can be safely imposed on the track? (Ans.: Total wt. of each individual rail
girder = 576 kg, Maximum Axle Load = 25.2 tons) [SGFL-2017]

38. Show the relationship about Speed, Flow (Volume) and Density in the highway traffic.
(Ans.: q=kv) [BUET, BWDB-2019]

39. Draw flow density relation curve. Estimate the mean speed at a point, where the density
is 175 veh/mile and flow is 10000 veh/hr. (Ans. u=57.14 mile/hr) [EGCB-2020]

40. The speeds of overtaking and overtaken vehicles are 70 and 40 kmph, respectively on a
two way traffic road. If the acceleration of overtaking vehicle is 0.99 m/s2. Calculate (a)
safe overtaking sight distance, (b) minimum length of overtaking zone, (c) Desirable
length of overtaking zone. [Ans. (a) 278 m, (b) 834 m, (c) 1390 m]

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41. A car saw a crash in front of it. If the driver stopped the car 5 m in front of the crash, find
the distance its traveled. Given, perception time = 2.5 sec. Design speed 100 kmph.
[DESCO-15] (Ans. Distance it is travelled = 181.83 m)

42. A motorist traveling at 55 mph down a grade of 5% on a highway observes a crash ahead
of him, involving an overturned truck that is completely blocking the road. If the motorist
was able to stop his vehicle 30 ft from the overturned truck, what was his distance from
the truck when he first observed the crash? Assume perception-reaction time = 2.5 sec.
(Ans. S = 568.79 ft)

43.If speed of a vehicle is 50 mph, reaction time 2.5 sec, deceleration rate 20 ft/sec2. What is
stopping sight distance? [EGCB-2020] (Ans. SSD = 96.90 m)

44. A two lane road with design speed 80 kmph has horizontal curve of radius 480 m.
Design the rate of super elevation for mixed traffic. By how much should the outer edges
of the pavement be raised with respect to the centre line, if the pavement is rotated with
respect to the centre line and the width of the pavement at the horizontal curve is 7.5 m.
(Ans. e = 0.059, E =0.22 m)

45. The design speed of a highway is 80 kmph. There is a horizontal curve of radius 200 m
on a certain locality. Calculate the super elevation needed to maintain this speed. If the
maximum super elevation of 0.07 is not to be exceeded, calculate the maximum allowable
speed on this horizontal curve as it is not possible to increase the radius. Safe limit of
transverse coefficient of friction is 0.15. (Ans. e = 0.07, va = 74.79 kmph)

46. The cycle time of an intersection is 60 seconds, the green time for a phrase is 27 seconds,
and the corresponding yellow time is 4 seconds. If the saturation headway is 2.4
seconds/vehicle, the start-up lost time is 2 seconds/phase, and the clearance lost time is 1
second/phase, find the capacity of the movement per lane? [NHA-2020] (Ans.: The
capacity of the movement = 700 veh/hr/lane)

47. If the pressure carried by a CBR specimen at 2.5 mm penetration is 3.5 N/mm2, what is
the CBR value of the specimen? [BWDB-2020] (Ans. CBR value = 51.13%)

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48. Calculate the extra widening required for a pavement of width 7 m on a horizontal curve
of radius 200 m, if the longest wheel base of vehicle expected on road in 6.1 m. Design
speed is 80 km/hr. Compare the value obtained with IRC recommendation. [PGCB,
BUET] (Ans. We = 0.782 m)

49. Find the total width of the pavement on a horizontal curve for a new state highway with a
ruling maximum radius. Design speed 80 km/hr, width of road 7.0 m and wheel base is
6.1m. (Ans. Total width = 7.571 m)

50. Find the total width of a pavement on a horizontal curve for a new national highway to
be aligned a rolling terrain with a ruling minimum radius. Given, ruling design speed, V =
80 kmph, Normal pavement width, W = 7.0 m, Wheel base of the truck, l = 6.0 m,
Maximum value of super elevation, e = 0.07 and skid resistance, f= 0.15. (Ans. Total
width of a pavement, Wpavement = 7.714 m)

51. If the expected annual growth rate is 6% for vehicles, determine growth rate factor of the
pavement, given a design period of 30 years. (Ans. f = 79.058)

52. A crest vertical curve is to be designed to join a +3% grade with a -2% grade at a section
of a two lane highway. Determine the minimum length of the curve if the design speed of
the highway is 60 mi/h, S<L, and a perception reaction time of 2.5 sec. The declaration
rate for braking (a) is 11.2 ft/sec2. [SGFL-2021] (Ans. L = 829.61 ft)

53. A vertical summit curve is formed at the intersection of two gradient, +3.0 and -5.0
percent. Design the length of summit curve to provide a stopping sight distance for a
design speed of 80 kmph, t = 2.5 sec and f = 0.35. [S.K Khanna, Example-4.22] (Ans. L
= 295.43 m)

54. Estimate the theoretical capacity of a traffic lane with one way traffic flow at stream
speed of 40 kmph. Assume average space gap between vehicles to fallow the relation, sg
= 0.278 vt (v = stream speed in kmph, t is the average reaction time = 0.7 sec) and the
length of vehicle = 5.0 m. (Ans. C = 3130 veh/hr/lane)

55. If a vehicle travelling at 40 kmph was stopped within 1.8 sec after the application of the
brakes, then calculate the value of the average skid resistance coefficient. (Ans. f = 0.629)

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56. At a single location, three countermeasures with CRs of 40%, 28%, and 20% are
proposed. Determine the overall CRF if all countermeasures are used. [Ans. CR = 0.66]
(Note: if only two countermeasures are used, then CR = 0.57)

57. The number of all crashes recorded at an intersection in a year was 23, and the
average 24-hr volume entering from all approaches was 6500. Determine the crash
rate per million entering vehicles (RMEV). (RMEV = 9.69 crashes / million entering
vehicles)

58. It is observed that 40 traffic crashes occurred on a 17.5-mile long section of highway
in one year. The ADT on the section was 5000 vehicles.
(a) Determine the rate of total crashes per 100 million vehicle-miles
(b) Determine the rate of fatal crashes per 100 million vehicle-miles, if 5% of the
crashes involved fatalities. [BWDB-16]
(Ans. (a) RMVMT = 125.24 crashes/100 million veh–mi, (b) RMVMF = 6.26
crashes/100 million veh–mi)

59. Determine the minimum yellow interval at an intersection whose width is 40 ft if the
maximum allowable speed on the approach roads is 30 mi/h. Assume average length
of vehicle is 20 ft. (Ans. tmin = 4.3 sec) [DNCC-2020, BUET]
[Hints: We must first decide on a deceleration rate. AASHTO recommends a deceleration
rate of 11.2 ft /sec2. Assuming this value for a and taking 𝛿 as 1.0 sec]

60. As part of a class project, a group of students collected a total of 120 spot speed samples
at a location and determined from this data that the standard variation of the speeds was
±6 mi/h. If the project required that the confidence level be 95% and the limit of
acceptable error was ±1.5 mi/h, determine whether these students satisfied the project
requirement. (N =61.45 < 120, so they satisfied the project requirement)

61. Speed data were collected at a section of highway during and after utility maintenance
work. The speed characteristics are given as, 𝑢 ̅̅̅,
1 S1 and ̅̅̅
𝑢2 , S2 as shown below.
Determine whether there was any significant difference between the average speeds at the
95% confidence level.
𝑢1 = 35.5 mi/h
̅̅̅ 𝑢2 = 38.7 mi/h
̅̅̅
S1 = 7.5 mi>h S2 =7.4 mi/h
n1 =250 n2 = 280

(Ans. The difference in means = 3.2 > 1.3mi/h, It can be concluded that the difference in
mean speeds is significant at the 95% confidence level.)
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62. A 10,000 lb load is placed on two tires of a locked-wheel trailer. At a speed of 30 mi/h, a
force of 5000 lb is required to move the device. Determine the SK (Skid No./Skid
Resistance) and the surface type, assuming that treaded tires were used. (Ans. At 30 mi/h
and SK = 50, the surface type is coarse-textured and gritty)

63. Four vehicle are travelling at constant speed between x and y (280 m) apart. An observer
at point x observes the four vehicles passing point x during a period of 15 sec. The speed
of vehicles are 88, 80, 90 and 72 kmph respectively. Calculate flow, density, TMS and
SMS. (Ans. Flow = 960 veh./hr, Density = 14.29 ve./km, TMS = 82.5 kmph & SMS =
81.86 kmph) [DESCO-16, PGCL-17]

64. An intersection located in an urban area has a maximum allowable speed on the approach
roads of 45 mi/hr. The width of the intersection is 48 ft for all approaches. The average
length of a vehicle is assumed to be 20 ft. What should be the minimum length of the red
clearance interval for this intersection? [NESCO-21, BUET] (Ans. t = 1.03 sec)

65. A horizontal curve with a radius of 800 ft connects the tangents of a two-lane highway
that has a posted speed limit of 35 mi/h. If the highway curve is not super-elevated, e=0,
determine the horizontal sightline offset (HSO) that a large bill-board can be placed from
the centerline of the inside lane of the curve, without reducing the required SSD.
Perception-reaction time is 2.5 sec, and f =0.35. (Ans. m = 9.38 ft)

k
66. Traffic flow equation for a section of road is v = 65 (1 – ), where v in mile/hr and k in
110
veh/mile. Calculate (a) Free flow speed, jam density and capacity flow (b) Speed-flow
relationship and flow-density relationship. [DESCO-16] (Ans. (a) vf = 65 mile/hr, kj =110
110 2 65
veh/mile, q =1788 veh/mile (b) q = 110 v - v & q = 65 k - k2 )
65 110

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