Analysis of Road Construction - Term Paper Example

Road construction Student’s Name Institution Section A Introduction One of the most common rural highway characteristics is the Horizontal and vertical alignments which is to some extend more than other design considerations available. The line configuration and the line grade have influence on operating speeds, sight distance and opportunities of any given highway capacity. The alignment decisions have greater impact on the cost of constructions (Aleisa et al 2015). HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT Consideration of design speed Physical control is one of the most important factor the influence speed. Topography, watercourse, geophysical condition, land use including man made features on the land. Environmental considerations as it affects the adjacent land use, impact on community and the general ecological sensitive areas (Aleisa et al 2015). Optimization of the horizontal alignment with respect to factors influencing design is very important and it is difficult to finalize the alignment until it has been compared with the vertical and cross-sectional characteristics of the highway. The main principle of off-tracking and hence curve widening, centers on the principle that all vehicle axles rotate about a common center (Aleisa et al 2015). Minimum curve radius is vehicle dependent and is a function of maximum cramp angle and wheelbase length CW = 37/R for Tractor-trailer (low boy; units in meters) R = 225/37 = 6.08 Transition curves shall be applied to circular curves under the following condition Using speed band of 80-84 Average = 82km/h R < 823/432 R < 1276.31 Since the axis of rotation is the centerline for a 2 lane roadway, the vertical elevations shown on the vertical profile will be correct It should be noted that the drainage system will be greatly affected and this include watershed and the hillslope. The design will aim at reducing and eliminating the energy produced by moving water. This is a sample drainage system which will be used in designing the road. Building the bridges, culvert and Ford. All three channel crossing types require a careful analysis of both vertical and horizontal alignment. Cross-sectional area of water flowing in a round- culvert is difficult to measure, however a rough estimate can be calculated from the following equation: where: r = culvert radius   d = measured depth of flow   ß = angle (°) between radial lines to the bottom of the culvert and to the water surface (Figure 62)   = cos-1 [(r-d) / r] Velocity can be calculated using Manning's equation: V = Q / A = (n-1) (R2/3) (S1/2 Part B Introduction It is undeniable that roads are very crucial infrastructure in any economy and plays important role in general economic growths, it is true that the issue of road sustainability is an issue of concerns for governments and contractors as a whole. With both economic and social impact and benefits in society, there impact on environment still raises many concerns. One of the main environment issues with roads include greenhouse gas emission from traffic and during the construction process (Ito et al 2015). Noise pollution as most vehicles like public vehicles are hooting causing a lot of disturbance. Noise pollution and greenhouse gas emission has both social and environmental effects including changing the landscape and even displacing people who are living near construction sites and road reserves. It is required of all contractors to manage road in a more socially and environmentally responsible manner (Ito et al 2015). The roads should be sustainable from the time of construction and maintenance. Since roads are important contributors to a larger percentage of national wealth they also give a bigger percentage of national infrastructure capital. Given huge problem on the environment impacts of roads and their main important in the society, it is important to have consultation with the people and have political consent before carrying out the construction of any road (Aleisa et al 2015). Governments through its legislative arm should develop laws that govern the construction and sustainable road construction. The government should be able to provide guidance in planning, development and operations of roads to ensure that they are constructed in a sustainable manner and are environmentally friendly. This paper discusses environment, political and economic impact of high way construction (Aleisa et al 2015). Environment The concept of sustainability as used in road construction implies that the roads are able to meet the needs of present generation or users without in any manner compromising the future users’ needs in any manner. Since there is close relationship between road construction and environment pollution, it is important to consider the long term impact of road on environment and how this can be resolved (Ito et el. 2015). The figure below gives the relationship between the environment, road users, road owner external society and physical environment. In most cases, the owner of the road will expect the road to work in a given standards at the lowest cost possible and in return gives maximum profit. This profit is quantified in terms of economic benefits like cost, social benefits like easy accessibility and transportability through road use. This mainly the government and local leadership (Harvey et al 2015). The external community road users are people who are directly affected by the road in question. During the construction, due to landscaping many property might be destroyed and even displacement of people might take place. The tax payers, people who are using roads for delivery services might be in one way or the other affected during and after the construction of road. The environment concerns on these people include destruction of natural environment like forest and natural land scape to accommodate the road (Harvey et al 2015). The construction manager must evaluate the impact of the given road in question and must ensure that the road have minimal impact on the people. Environmental assessment must be undertaken to assess both the direct and indirect impact of the road. Cost verses benefits should be done carefully, compared and evaluated against each other. Construction should only take place if the overall social, environmental and economic benefits is higher than the cost involves in the construction process. Political factors Always in road construction, it has been a delicate balancing act between different interested individuals in the process. In most instances, different priorities overcome deferent times given the political environment and circumstances, both economic performance and prevailing orthodox. The political class should be in a position of providing planning policies, regulation including traffic policies to guide both road contractor and road users. In most cases the policy work on principle of demand and supply where congested roads are expanded, parking policies and how pumps are place. The policies also give guidelines of materials to be used in the construction, the size of road, road signs and environment assessment criteria (Ito et el. 2015). Politics does not only come from the government alone but also the local communities who will be direct beneficiary of the construction process. The project manager should be able to involve the local leadership adequately to avert any decent from the local community. The community must be told the benefits of the construction and how they will directly benefit and if possible they must be involves in making major decisions like reallocation the displaced individuals (Harvey et al 2015).. The government should also come up with the policy which forces the construction firm to use locally available materials and labor. Using local labor will benefits the locals economically as many will be employed in the construction process, providing them with employment and raising their economic level. The project managers should also involve the local leadership in social corporate responsibility like building schools, toilet papers among others. The road construction should always strive to be politically right to win the confidence of the beneficiaries of the project. Economic factors The cost of project is very important before starting it, likewise in road construction, cost must be considered. As stated earlier using local materials like sand, and blast will provide income and ready market for local producers hence the project manager should emphasize on this. It is also very important to consider the overall economic benefits of the road. This include employment of the local community which in short run help in creating employment while preventing immoral devices caused by poverty and lack of employment (Ito et el. 2015). Planning Planning is a very key factor in road construction from the inception time till the end of the construction process. Planning will help in avoiding traffic accident caused during construction process and in the construction sites. Safety regulation should be revised now and then by authorities and the people should implement the effect more effectively in the process (Ito et el. 2015). Planning on how train people who will be working on the construction site like flagmen since the use of untrained flagmen might proof to be very much harmful in the process. Making critical areas in the construction process is very important and in our case the figure below gives some marked critical zones. This is case of straight road. Conclusion Physical control is one of the most important factor the influence speed. Topography, watercourse, geophysical condition, land use including man made features on the land. Environmental considerations as it affects the adjacent land use, impact on community and the general ecological sensitive areas. The contractor must be in a position to evaluate both environmental, political, economic and planning process before staring the construction process. Bibliography Aleisa, E.E.A., Aljenai, L.A.K. and Jeraq, D.T.H.A., 2015. Asphalt composition and method for testing, selecting and adding oil contaminated soil to asphalt for road construction. U.S. Patent 9,157,198. Harvey, J., Kendall, A. and Saboori, A., 2015. The Role of Life Cycle Assessment in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Road Construction and Maintenance. Ito, H., Yamanaka, K., Nehashi, S., Fukuda, A. and Minegishi, K., 2015. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THREE EMBANKMENT METHODS FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION BY LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT AND COST. International journal of GEOMATE: geotechnique, construction materials and environment, 8(1), pp.1278-1282. Read More

Since there is close relationship between road construction and environment pollution, it is important to consider the long term impact of road on environment and how this can be resolved (Ito et el. 2015). The figure below gives the relationship between the environment, road users, road owner external society and physical environment. In most cases, the owner of the road will expect the road to work in a given standards at the lowest cost possible and in return gives maximum profit. This profit is quantified in terms of economic benefits like cost, social benefits like easy accessibility and transportability through road use.

This mainly the government and local leadership (Harvey et al 2015). The external community road users are people who are directly affected by the road in question. During the construction, due to landscaping many property might be destroyed and even displacement of people might take place. The tax payers, people who are using roads for delivery services might be in one way or the other affected during and after the construction of road. The environment concerns on these people include destruction of natural environment like forest and natural land scape to accommodate the road (Harvey et al 2015).

The construction manager must evaluate the impact of the given road in question and must ensure that the road have minimal impact on the people. Environmental assessment must be undertaken to assess both the direct and indirect impact of the road. Cost verses benefits should be done carefully, compared and evaluated against each other. Construction should only take place if the overall social, environmental and economic benefits is higher than the cost involves in the construction process. Political factors Always in road construction, it has been a delicate balancing act between different interested individuals in the process.

In most instances, different priorities overcome deferent times given the political environment and circumstances, both economic performance and prevailing orthodox. The political class should be in a position of providing planning policies, regulation including traffic policies to guide both road contractor and road users. In most cases the policy work on principle of demand and supply where congested roads are expanded, parking policies and how pumps are place. The policies also give guidelines of materials to be used in the construction, the size of road, road signs and environment assessment criteria (Ito et el. 2015). Politics does not only come from the government alone but also the local communities who will be direct beneficiary of the construction process.

The project manager should be able to involve the local leadership adequately to avert any decent from the local community. The community must be told the benefits of the construction and how they will directly benefit and if possible they must be involves in making major decisions like reallocation the displaced individuals (Harvey et al 2015).. The government should also come up with the policy which forces the construction firm to use locally available materials and labor. Using local labor will benefits the locals economically as many will be employed in the construction process, providing them with employment and raising their economic level.

The project managers should also involve the local leadership in social corporate responsibility like building schools, toilet papers among others. The road construction should always strive to be politically right to win the confidence of the beneficiaries of the project. Economic factors The cost of project is very important before starting it, likewise in road construction, cost must be considered. As stated earlier using local materials like sand, and blast will provide income and ready market for local producers hence the project manager should emphasize on this.

It is also very important to consider the overall economic benefits of the road. This include employment of the local community which in short run help in creating employment while preventing immoral devices caused by poverty and lack of employment (Ito et el. 2015).

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