Scope of highway engineering

Highway engineering deals with the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of roads so that people and goods move safely, quickly and economically.

Scope

1. Highway planning: road surveys, traffic studies, demand forecasting, fixing priorities, economic evaluation.
2. Highway alignment and survey: map study, reconnaissance, preliminary and detailed survey.
3. Geometric design: cross-section, horizontal and vertical alignment, sight distance, intersections.
4. Pavement design: subgrade, base, sub-base and surface layers (flexible and rigid).
5. Highway materials: soil, aggregate, bitumen, cement and their tests.
6. Highway drainage: surface, sub-surface drains, culverts and cross-drainage works.
7. Highway construction: earthwork, pavement layers, structures, quality control, equipment.
8. Traffic engineering: studies, regulation, signs, signals, intersection control, road safety, parking.
9. Highway maintenance and management: routine, periodic and emergency maintenance; pavement management.
10. Highway economics and finance: cost-benefit analysis, road user cost, funding and toll.
11. Hill road engineering, landslide control and bio-engineering (important for Nepal).
12. Environmental and social aspects: EIA, land acquisition, resettlement.
13. Highway administration: legislation, road classification, standards (NRS 2070).