The 9 types of Cambers in Road: Their Advantages and Disadvantages
There are often asphalt elevated medians on highways, where the edge of the surface is a bit higher than the median portion. In the diagonal direction, this slope is called the camber. The camber of the road surface designs to drain rainwater away from the edges. The camber of a road surface is the slope in the transverse direction that helps drain off rainwater. The Cross-slope of a road is another name for it.
Structural Design of Camber
A camber rate normally expressed as 1: 1 or 1: n, or as a percentage, such as 1 in 50 or 2 %. Several factors influence camber design, such as the type of pavement and average rainfall. Surface water can be eliminated with steep camber.
Although they are not recommended because the surface will be worn down in a typical camber slope ranges between 2 and 3%. It's a shoulder that's 0.5% higher than the carriageway on straight segments of the road.
Types of Camber
1. Sloped Camber
When two straight surfaces meet in the crown, this type of camber is created. Road crowns are the most prominent points on the surface. The edge shape causes traffic to impede, so it is not commonly used.
2. Traditional Camber
Traditional camber is a feature that was once very prevalent in all snowboards.
3. Reverse Camber
These have many names, such as reverse camber, anti camber, bananas and continuous rockers. This type of camber is the opposite of traditional camber.
4. Hybrid Profiles
Camber, flat, and rockers are the three types of profiles in hybrids. Snowboard manufacturers use many different combinations of this.
5. Two Straight Line Camber
This pattern has both straight lines and steep edges, and flat tops. For Indian roads, this is the best type of camber.
6. Composite Camber
Camber is a measure of the difference in slope between two straight lines or parabolas. Most roads have a parabolic shape in their center and provide straight slopes along their edges. In this way, the wheel's contact area increases which reduces pressure.
7. Flat Camber
In other words, it is flat between the points of contact, not cambered or rocketed.
8. Barrel Camber
It is either a parabola or an ellipse, which is a continuous curve. Fast-moving vehicles prefer roads with this type of camber.
9. Parabolic Camber
Pavement surfaces are provided with parabolic shapes to produce parabolic camber.
Advantages of Camber in Road
1. Water does not gather at local shrinkages and depressions on the road surface, creating water pools that are problematic for the road structure and the public.
2. Camber's runoff rainwater quickly, preventing water from percolating to the foundations of this road structure and causing them to weaken.
3. The pavement serves as a barrier, preventing surface water from entering the subgrade soil.
4. Water should not enter the bituminous layers of the pavement.
5. The pavement should be drained of rainwater as quickly as possible and then allowed to dry immediately after the rain.
Disadvantages of Camber in Road
As everyone will try to move toward the middle, the width of the road will shrink. There will be wear and tear on the edges. They feel uncomfortable and unbalanced during the journey. Accidents are more likely to occur.
Method of Providing Camber in Road
When straight roads have a camber, their centers are usually raised concerning their edges, creating a crown or highest point on the centerline. As a result of super elevation at horizontal curves, the exterior pavement edge is raised above its inner edge to facilitate surface drainage.
To learn more, watch the following video tutorial.
Video Source: Engineer Boy
The transverse slope is generally calculated at the rate 1 vertical to n horizontal, which means the camber is generally constructed by 1 in n. Percentages can be used to represent camber. The cross slope is n in 100 if the camber is n%.
