Engineering surveys and design of highways

Highways are of crucial importance for the economic development of Russia, because they connect an area of more than 17 million km2, where many large cities and small settlements are located.

The design of highways is an important stage of road construction, without which it is impossible to build a high-quality road. The design process begins with the study of the terrain and ends with the creation of design documentation for each element of the highway with a variety of calculations and design solutions.

One of the most important stages of design is engineering surveys, which include a complex of works on the study of the area where the road will be built. Specialists need to get information about soils, geological structure, hydrological conditions and other terrain parameters that can affect the quality and safety of the road surface.

Important aspects of highway design

When creating project documentation, special attention is paid to several aspects of road operation: road safety, convenience of drivers and pedestrians, economic efficiency and safety for the ecology of the region.

The design work begins with the study of the area where the road will be built. Specialists should take into account all the features of the terrain: relief, hydrological conditions, climatic factors, etc. Based on these surveys, specialists develop a road project that includes the geometric parameters of the road, the types of coatings used, drainage and lighting systems.

Any road in operation must be safe for all road users, so engineers must take into account all possible risks when designing turns, intersections, pedestrian crossings, parking lots, bridges and overpasses. When creating a project, it is important to correctly calculate the width of the roadway and the elements of the road infrastructure in order to ensure the convenience of all road users.

The construction of a highway requires significant financial costs, therefore, the calculation of the economic efficiency of the operation of the road, as well as the payback period of investments, is carried out.

During operation, highways have a negative impact on the environment, therefore, specialists are developing measures to minimize environmental risks: emissions of harmful substances, reduction of noise and vibration, destruction of the natural eco-environment.

The road construction project includes a lot of economic calculations: the volume of necessary construction materials, the number of workers and road equipment, as well as a detailed plan and deadlines for road construction work.

In the modern world, highways unite large cities and small settlements into a single transport network, ensuring the stable development of industry, tourism, trade and agriculture. With the development of the country and the expansion of transport and economic ties, the need for the construction of highways increases every year.

The general contractor - LLC «LMA», part of the LMS Group of Companies, is implementing the construction project of the Eastern Exit from Ufa to the Federal Highway M-5 Ural, which includes three large-scale stages:

• road tunnel;
• steel bridge over the Ufa River;
• a four-lane highway.