HAWASSA UNIVVERSITY
FACULTY OF CIVIL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
HIGHWAY ENGINEERING III assignment 2 (15 marks)
1. A NDT test was made on a flexible pavement using a 150mm load plate. The
thickness of AC is 108 mm and that of granular base is 203 mm. The temperature
of AC at a time of the test is 80 oF. The total load applied on the plate is 40 kN. The
deflection at center of plate is 0.35 mm; that at distance of 0.91 m is 0.09 mm.
Estimate MR and SNeff. Hint. Use the overlay design procedures presented in Chapter 5
of the 1986 AASHTO Design Guide.
2. A flexible pavement is composed of a 4-in. HMA surface and a 12-in. crushed stone base.
Deflection measurements were made in the spring by using a Benkelman beam. The mean
deflection was found to be 0 .034 in., with a standard deviation of 0 .0041 in. The mean
pavement temperature during the test was 80°F. Determine the thickness of HMA overlay
required for a design ESAL of 10 million, using the Asphalt Institute's equations, and
compare it with the result from the design chart
3. The representative rebound deflection on a flexible pavement is 0.055 in. If the traffic
growth rate is 6% and the pavement is to be used for five years before the placement of a
new overlay, what is the maximum allowable ESAL during the current year?
4. A reinforced concrete road pavement, including the base, is laid €100.00 per m2. A
flexible pavement to give the same service is laid for €90.000 per m2. The flexible
pavement has major maintenance evert 5 years, which costs the equivalent of € 3.25 per
m2 per year. The concrete pavement has the first life time of 40 years, after which it is
resurfaced with asphalt costing € 031.00 per m2. Thereafter it is maintained at the same
cost as flexible pavement. In addition, both types of roads require annual maintenance
estimated to amount to € 0.67 per m2. On the basis of both roads giving perpetual service,
compare the capitalized costs of 2000 m2 of road at an interest rate of 12 %.
5. A planned highway project will have the following receipts and disbursements as shown
in the table below. Using the information given, calculate NPV, EIRR and B-CR at
12% opportunity of cost of capital. Is the project feasible? Why?
Costs
Year
Construction
Maintenance
Benefits
Development
Value
Maintenance Cost
Vehicle
Added
Savings
Operating
Cost Savings
2005
15,000
2006
30,000
2007
10,000
2008
1,000
100
10,000
500
1,500
2009
1,000
100
10,500
500
1,500
2010
1,000
100
11,000
500
2,000
2011
1,500
100
12,000
500
2,500
2012
1,500
100
13,000
500
2,500
2013
2,000
100
15,000
500
3,000
2014
2,000
100
17,000
500
3,000
2015
2,500
100
19,000
500
3,000
2016
2,500
100
20,000
500
3,500
2017
3,000
100
22,000
500
3,500
6. A proposed highway project requires an initial investment of
10 million and a
supplementary investment of 5 million at the end of the tenth year. The project will have
a useful life of 50 years, counting from the date of the initial investment.

The interest rate is 6%.

The cost of operation and maintenance is 200,000 per year.

The benefit of the project is estimated to begin with 1.0 million per year for the first
15 years and also for the remaining 35 years the benefit is supposed to be increased at
once to 2.75 million per year and remains constant up to the end the useful life.
Based on the information given above, determine the feasibility of the investment by using
NPW EUAW, BCR and ROR appraisal techniques