Roadway Cross-sections
Roadway Cross-sections
(OP)
I'm curious how other engineers feel about what to include on roadway cross-sections (i.e. those sections shown for every 50' station).
When there are buried utilities - sewerlines, stormdrains, waterlines, etc. - do you show their location on every section? Or do you create sections only for road grading purposes, to show the relative cut/fill along the road and material depths, sidewalks, guardrail, things on the surface?
Or with those buried utilities do you just prefer to show them on a single typical section and let it go at that?
When there are buried utilities - sewerlines, stormdrains, waterlines, etc. - do you show their location on every section? Or do you create sections only for road grading purposes, to show the relative cut/fill along the road and material depths, sidewalks, guardrail, things on the surface?
Or with those buried utilities do you just prefer to show them on a single typical section and let it go at that?





RE: Roadway Cross-sections
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
Show it all, and show it to SCALE. If the pipe is a 48 inch pipe, then show it that size.
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
Engineering is the practice of the art of science - Steve
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
Showing all of the underground and surface features is RELATIVELY simple with today's engineering software. It requires a lot of "upfront" data input but is worth the effort. Any change you make in your alignments (vertical and horizontal is automated and shows the impacts on the features.
SHOW IT ALL and spend some money on the software to make your life easier.
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
I do think it's important to show. Just going through the process will help ferret out possible conflicts. I review plans for a couple of municipalities, though mostly do design work (not where I review, of course), and on one project I was reviewing (not only did the sections not show ungerground utilities, but they were all done with different horiz & vertical scales (a 5:1 exaggeration) similar to profiles) I found two instances of waterlines designed to go straight through culverts. The comment I got back from the design engineer was that of course it wouldn't be built like that, the contractor will figure it out!!
So just where do our responsibilities as engineers lie, anyway? Do we sweat the details? Or just let it be figured out on the fly by the contractor?
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
The contractor is not obligated to "figure it out"; he/she is obligated to perform the scope of work as defined -and only as defined - in the Contract Documents on which he bid the job. If he hits a water main that isn't shown on the Contract Documents which he bid on, it is a change order to relocate/repair/adjust the culvert/or whatever to allow him to complete his scope of work. He was hired to install a culvert, not "figure out" what to do about a water main. The owner will have to grant the change order, then will most likely go after the designer for recompensation. At least, that has been my experience.
If, on the other hand, the CDs did have a water main to be relocated, contractor will have to "figure out" how to do that.
As a third example, if the CDs show the water main going straight through a culvert, contractor is legally obligated to put the water main through the culvert as specified on the design, which is sealed by a PE. For all the contractor knows, that is the intent.
Engineering is the practice of the art of science - Steve
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
Regards.
Namdac
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
I just reviewed a plan that showed fiber in a cut bank in the typical. I requested sections every 50-ft to insure the plans show the location which may be in conflict if slope standards are applied etc..
I agree re...more is better. Sometimes separate utility plans may be needed as opposed to including them with roadway cross-sections that may have centerline, sawcut, etc... also shown. Sometimes it can get messy.
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
What I would do however, is ask the contractor to mark the all foreign crossings on their as-builts (location & depth & description) so you will have them for future maintenance operations activities, or in an emergency situation (rupture) you will know where everyone is at.
I wouldn't sweat the details, as was mentioned, the contractor will work it out in the field, that's what bending machines and beveling torches are for.
Greg Lamberson, BS, MBA
Consultant - Upstream Energy
Website: www.oil-gas-consulting.com
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
As both an owner and a consultant, I have had multiple occations when there were know utilities that conflicted with proposed improvements shown on the plan. If the designer had shown them on the cross sections, then he would have seen the conflict and done the required redesign before sending the project out for bid.
RE: Roadway Cross-sections
farmallfan