Design Criteria

Strategic Provincial Roads – South and East Afghanistan (SPR-SEA)

Following are the design criteria and parameters we propose for adoption for SPR-SEA.

According to instructions received from the USAID, the typical roadway cross-section is based
on the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ministry of Public Works Interim Road and Highway
Standards (MPW Standards) - Attachment 1.

Roads Functional Classification (MPW Standards): Provincial Roads

Roads Technical Definition (MPW Standards): Minor Roads

Roads Type: All weather gravel road

Assumed ADT (Mixed Traffic): 500

1. Geometric Design

The following geometric design criteria are based on the MPW Standards and requirements of
AASHTO Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, Fourth Edition, 2001 (Green
Book) and adopted for the project road.

Terrain
Description Remarks
Level Rolling Mountainous

Design Speed 60 50 30
Traveled Way (m) 7 7 7
Shoulder Width (m) 1.5 1 1
No. of Lanes 2 2 2
Superelevation (max) % 8 8 8
Max. Vertical Grades (%) 6 8 6
Min. Vertical Grade (%) 0.5 0.5 0.5
Carriageway Crossfall (%) 4 4 4
Shoulder Crossfall (%) 4 4 4
Min. Horizontal Radii (m) 115 80 30
Vertical Curvature Rates (K)
Crest 11 7 3
Sag 18 13 6
Slopes
Fill < 3m 3:1 3:1 2:1
Fill > 3m 2:1 2:1 2:1

Cut As per site condition

Right of Way from CL (m)
Rural Areas 15 15 15
Built-up Areas 10 10 10 Includes carriage way,
shoulder and sidewalk
(where possible)
2. Pavement Design

2. Bridge Design

Conceptual designs of bridges on the project roads are based on Standard

Specifications for Highway Bridges 1tth Edition (2002) adopted by American Association
of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Additional references such as
ACI, AISC, ASTM, etc., specifications shall also be adopted as necessary.

3. Hydrology and highway drainage design

The preliminary design of highway drainage facilities for this project are based on
AASHTO Highway Drainage Guidelines, 2007 Edition, National Engineering
Handbook part 630 of the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCs), the US
Army Corps of Engineer’s Hydrologic Modeling System HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS,
Hydraulic Reference Manual, version 3.1, Chapter 10.
Hydrology Manual by Ven T. Chow is also used as a reference for the analysis of
hydraulic and hydrologic data.

Final design of highway drainage facilities should always be preceded by accurate field
surveys. A topographical survey should be conducted to provide an accurate view of
the topographic features of the project area. Sufficient meteorological data and other
data such as rainfall, atmospheric temperature and monthly weather in the project
vicinity should also be collected.
In the absence of the above stated activities, an assurance of the percentage of
accuracy in the design result cannot be determined. Therefore, parameters to be used
for proper and effective design of drainage components should be derived from proper
hydrologic studies.

4.1. Design Discharge

The design discharge, which is the peak discharge at a specific time, will be estimated
using two methods: the Win TR-55 Method and HEC-HMS 3.1.0, which are based on
the direct relationship between rainfall and runoff.
The Win TR-55 method is used in estimating runoff for small watersheds with
catchment area less than 65 km2. It is based on part 630 of the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) National Engineering Handbook. This method uses SCS
unit hydrograph, 24hrs maximum storm rainfall frequency, Curve Number, time of
concentration and Watershed area to calculate the peak discharge.
HEC HMS 3.0.1 is the US Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Modeling System
computer Program, which can simulate precipitation-runoff and routing process. SCS
method can be used for the calculation of precipitation loss and the runoff. Similarly,
Kinematic Wave routing method can be used for the flood routing, which is the best
suited method for the mountainous areas and where there is no sufficient data.
4.2. Drainage Areas

Catchment area or drainage area is one of the basic data requirements in the design of
surface or cross drainage structures. Global Mapper 9 is a good tool to calculate the
catchment area, channel length and the channel slope. Topographic maps of 1:50,000
scale, aerial imagery 2002 and 30m digital elevation model shall be used in Global
Mapper to accurately delineate the boundaries of the watersheds.

4.3. Rainfall Frequency

In the absence of rainfall depth recorded in minutes, 24 hrs. maximum rainfall will be
used for the frequency analysis. The 24 hrs. maximum rainfall frequencies are
calculated using the Log Pearson Type III frequency distribution method. The rainfall
data of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan are available in Meteorological Department of
Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation and in NOAA website and USGS Afghanistan.
Some historical data are also compiled in the book called Average and Characteristic
Discharges of the Rivers of Afghanistan, Russian Book, 1986 and Precipitation Regime
of Afghanistan, Persian Book, 1981.

4.4. Open channels

HEC-RAS software will also be used to determine water surface elevation, as well as all
hydraulic characteristic of the waterway. HEC-RAS is computer software developed by
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers which is capable of analyzing hydraulic of rivers, with
or without bridges, and channel improvement design.

4.5. Design Consideration for Drainage Culvert

Drainage culverts will be sized using the procedure developed by the U.S. Federal
Highway Administration, FHWA Hydraulics Design Series No. 5, Hydraulic Design of
Highway Culverts.

4. Right of Way

Road Right of Way (ROW) adopted for this project is 15m from the designed road
centerline in rural areas, and 10m from centerline in urban areas, including carriage
way, shoulder and sidewalk (where possible). It is based on the requirements of the
MPW’s Interim Road and Highway Standards, 18 March 2007. All Right of Way issues
have to be settled out in the field.