Highway Pavement

Components of highway on the embankment

A highway is generally designed and constructed such that the formation level is above the general ground level and also substantially above the highest water table. Therefore the vertical alignment of a highway is planned such that in general the pavement is laid over an embankment.

The main components of a highway on embankments are:-
1) Embankment or fill.
2) Subgrade.
3) Drainage layer.
4) Shoulders, and
5) Pavements layers.

Apart from the above five major components, other essential features include the roadside drains and other special drainage facilities such as ‘capillary cut–off’, as required.

Components of highway in cutting:

The main components of a highway in cutting are:
1) Prepared the bottom of the cutting.
2) Longitudinal side drains.
3) Subgrade.
4) Drainage layer.
5) Shoulders and
6) Pavement layers.