CONFIDENTIAL

EC/OCT 2008/ECG304

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

FINAL EXAMINATION

COURSE

HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

COURSE CODE

ECG304

EXAMINATION

OCTOBER 2008

TIME

3 HOURS

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
1.

This question paper consists of five (5) questions.

2.

Answer ALL questions in the Answer Booklet. Start each answer on a new page.

3.

Do not bring any material into the examination room unless permission is given by the
invigilator.
Please check to make sure that this examination pack consists of:
i)
ii)
iii)

the Question Paper

a three - page Appendix 1
an Answer Booklet - provided by the Faculty

DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO

This examination paper consists of 4 printed pages
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EC/OCT 2008/ECG304

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QUESTION 1
a) Road administration is classified into FIVE (5) categories according to the allocation of
financial sources of road construction and maintenance. Explain briefly on each
category.
(10 marks)
b) List FIVE (5) factors that must be considered in deciding route location for a new
highway construction.
(5 marks)
c) Table Q1 below shows the data of traffic volume that were obtained from a traffic count.
The traffic count was conducted from 8.00 to 9.00 AM. Compute the peak hour factor
(PHF) along the road during 15-min period.
Table Q1 :Traffic Volume Data

8.00-8.15
8.15-8.30
8.30 - 8.45
8.45 - 9.00

369
274
294
350

(5 marks)
QUESTION 2
a) Design a suitable flexible pavement for a two-lane highway in rolling terrain using JKR
design method. The current average daily traffic is 5750 vehicles and the percentage of
commercial vehicles is 10%. The annual traffic growth rate expected is 4.5%. The
designated CBR value of insitu soil is 5% and the road design life is to be 15 years.
See the relevant tables and nomograph in the Appendix 1 for figuring out the design
calculations.
The proposed materials: Base Course - Crushed Aggregates

Subbase - Sand
(Submit Nomograph in Appendix 1{3) together with the answer booklet)
(10 marks)
b) A new road will be constructed for a residential area. In your opinion, justify the needs to
construct flexible pavement rather than the rigid pavement.
(5 marks)

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c) Discuss FIVE (5) main design criteria that must be considered for effective and safe
intersections.
(5 marks)

QUESTION 3
a) Discuss THREE (3) common road pavement problems and types of assessment in
Malaysia.
(10 marks)
b) Identify the normal stages of road construction.
(5 marks)
c) With the aid of diagram, distinguish the surface drainage from the sub-surface drainage.
(5 marks)

QUESTION 4

a) A spot speed study was conducted on a stretch of rural road for a duration of one hour.
The resulting data is tabulated as follows. Calculate the arithmetic mean, median, mode,
and the standard deviation for the data set.
Speed Group
20.0-29.9
30.0 - 39.9
40.0-49.9
50.0 - 59.9
60.0-69.9

Frequency

15
35

50
40
10
(10 marks)

b) A simple circular curve of a single carriageway is to be designed with design speed of 90

km/hr. The superelevation, e on the circular curve is 0.05. Calculate the radius of curve
its balances are estimated to be 40 percent of the centrifugal ratio. After leaving the
curve, a driver is traveling at design speed spotted an object on the road 150 m ahead
and manages to stop just in time. Taking the standard perception-reaction time of 2.5
seconds and using the minimum stopping sight distance formula, determine the
coefficient of friction between tyres and pavement.
(10 marks)

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EC/OCT 2008/ECG304

QUESTION 5
a) Interchanges can be classified into three-leg, four-leg and multi-leg type. With neat
sketches, give THREE (3) examples of interchanges patterns.
(10 marks)
b) Highways are classified by function, and each class of highway such as local roads,
collector roads, arterials, highways and expressways, has unique design features. The
usage of the facility may decide the elements of the cross-section. However, almost all
road cross-sections are composed of four basic elements. Discuss on these elements
and then illustrate those of a single carriageway road.
(10 marks)

END OF QUESTION PAPER

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EC/OCT 2008/ECG304

APPENDIX 1(1)

[AFTER ARAHAN TEKNIK (JALAN)]

GUIDE FOR EQUIVALENCE FACTOR, e

Percentage of selected
Heavy Good vehicle*

0-15%

Type of Equivalence
Factor

Local

Trunk

1.2

2.0

16-50%

51-100%

3.0

3.7

MINIMUM LAYER THICKNESS, D

Type of Layer

Minimum Thickness

Wearing Course

4 cm

Binder Course

5 cm

Base Course

Bituminous

5 cm

Wet Mix

10 cm

Cement treated*

10 cm

Granular

10 cm

Cement treated*

15 cm

Sub base Course

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APPENDIX 1(2)

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EC/OCT 2008/ECG304

[AFTER ARAHAN TEKNIK (JALAN)]

STRUCTURAL LAYER COEFFICIENTS, a

Component

Type of Layer

Wearing and
Binder Course

Asphalt
Concrete

Dense
Bituminous
Macadam

Cement Stabilized
Base
Course

Mechanically
Stabilized
Crushed
Aggregate

Property

Coefficient

1.00

Type 1: Stability
> 400 kg

0.80

Type 2 : Stability
> 300 kg

0.55

Unconfined
Compressive
Strength (7 days)
30-40 kg/cm2

0.45

CBR >80%

0.32

Sand, Laterite
Etc.

CBR > 20%

0.23

Crushed
Aggregate

CBR > 30%

0.25

Cement
Stabilized

CBR > 60 %

0.28

Sub base

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EC/OCT 2008/ECG304

APPENDIX 1(3)

[AFTER ARAHAN TEKNIK (JALAN)]

0
r 10

-H
13
:

14

to=

-a

Ifi

-16
-IB

108

20

-20

sI * 107
7

2*

-86
-28

IB -

IB

39
33
3*
X
3B
40
42
H

Figure Q2a: THICKNESS DESIGN NOMOGRAPH

Submit Appendix 1(3) with the answer booklet

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