--- title: "Road maintenance; gully control measures" subject: "Transportation Engineering II" chapter: 4 key: "semester_7/transportation_engineering_ii:road-maintenance-gully-control" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/transportation_engineering_ii/road-maintenance-gully-control site: BCT Engineering --- # Road maintenance; gully control measures Transportation Engineering II · Chapter 4: Highway Maintenance, Repair, and Rehabilitation - Asked in: 2070 Chaitra, 8 marks - Video: [Erosion and Gully Control Structure || Drainage structures || Transportation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXJJ8Ixm7b8) — OPengineer - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/transportation_engineering_ii/road-maintenance-gully-control - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/transportation_engineering_ii/chapter-4 ## Question Define road maintenance. Explain different measure to be taken for gully control works. ## Short answer Highway maintenance keeps roads safe and serviceable without changing design standards. Gully control measures include diversion drains, lined chutes, check dams, bioengineering, slope treatment, and regular drain cleaning to stop concentrated runoff erosion. ## Answer #### Road maintenance **Highway maintenance** is the work done to keep a road, with its pavement, shoulders, drainage, structures and furniture, in a safe and serviceable condition and to preserve the investment, without changing the original design standard. Classification (Nepal DoR practice and IRC:82): 1. **Routine maintenance** - small, regular, yearly works such as patching potholes, cleaning drains and culverts, clearing slips, cutting grass, and repairing shoulders and signs. 2. **Recurrent maintenance** - works repeated at intervals within a year or two, such as resealing cracks, re-gravelling shoulders and repairing drains. 3. **Periodic maintenance** - works at intervals of several years (3 to 8), such as resealing, regravelling, surface dressing and thin overlays to restore the surface. 4. **Urgent (emergency) maintenance** - immediate works to reopen the road after landslides, floods or accidents. #### Measures for gully control **Gully erosion** is the cutting of deep channels in road slopes, embankments, shoulders and the surrounding land by concentrated runoff. It is serious on hill roads in Nepal, where steep slopes and heavy monsoon rain produce rapid surface flow. **Measures for gully control** 1. **Diversion** - catch-water drains above cut slopes, and side drains and cross drains/culverts at close spacing, to stop flow from collecting; discharge onto stable ground or into natural streams. 2. **Lined drains and chutes** - stone masonry, concrete or gabion lining for steep drains; stepped channels or drop structures to reduce velocity. 3. **Check dams** - small stone masonry, gabion or log dams across the gully at intervals to trap sediment and reduce the slope and velocity. 4. **Outlet protection** - aprons and energy dissipators at culvert outlets and drain ends. 5. **Bioengineering** - grasses (vetiver, broom grass), bamboo, shrubs and trees planted on slopes; brush layering and fascines (live check dams). 6. **Slope treatment** - reshape the gully, fill and compact it, terrace the slopes, and use mulching and geotextile or jute mats to hold the topsoil until vegetation grows. 7. **Retaining and breast walls** at the toe of unstable slopes. 8. **Maintenance** - keep drains clean and repair erosion early. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. Highway maintenance is work done to keep the road serviceable... A. while upgrading it to a higher design standard B. without changing the original design standard C. only after complete failure D. only on the pavement surface Answer: B. Maintenance preserves the investment without changing the original design standard. (Key point: Definition) 2. Which is periodic maintenance? A. Cleaning drains yearly B. Reopening road after landslide C. Resealing, regravelling or surface dressing every 3 to 8 years D. Cutting grass Answer: C. Periodic maintenance is done at intervals of several years (3 to 8). (Key point: Periodic maintenance) 3. What is the role of check dams in gully control? A. Trap sediment and reduce slope and velocity B. Increase flow velocity C. Supply water for irrigation D. Support bridge piers Answer: A. Check dams across the gully trap sediment and reduce slope and velocity of flow. (Key point: Check dams) 4. Why are catch-water drains provided above cut slopes? A. To store water for dust control B. To stop runoff concentrating and flowing down the slope C. To lower the subgrade CBR D. To widen the road Answer: B. Diversion stops flow collecting and discharges it onto stable ground or streams. 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