Traffic and Transportation Issues for Gas and Oil Field Development

Project Brief

TAHE Ventures have retained you as the lead consultant to advise on traffic and transportation issues relating to proposals for their new gas and oil field development involving hydraulic fracking. The site is located off a major road single 2-lane (S2) on the site of a former coal mining estate. Specifically, you are required to

1) Provide pavement design solutions for the major highway to accomodate the anticipated traffic generated as result of the new gas and oil field development
2) Assess the traffic impact of the proposal on the area, including an evaluation of the capacity of the existing priority T-junction to accommodate the generated traffic from the new development
3) Advice on the use of sustainably sourced local road building aggregates Relevant portions of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) should be consulted. Further additional information and requirements for the new development tha could assist you in your assessment are the following:

1. Pavement Design (40%)

Using the traffic data in Table Q1.1, design a composite pavement comprising of  recycled cement-treated base indicating the thicknesses of the various layers including:
a) Design traffic in msa (10%)
b) The foundation comprising soil-cement sub-base (10%)
c) Hydraulically bound material (HBM) base layer (10%)
d) Asphalt surfacing over the HBM base layers (10%)

For the pavement foundation assume a subgrade CBR of 5. Sub-base materials are to be cement bound materials only. Assume a pavement design life of 40 years. Provide a  well-labelled sketch of the resulting design including details of selected materials.

Traffic data for major road for various categories of commercial vehicles Vehicle type 2-way AADT

Light Goods Vehicles (LGV) 2900
Buses / Coaches (PVS) 300
Other goods vehicles 1 (OGV1) 700
Other goods vehicles 2 OGV2 1000
2. Junction design (40%)

The major road is an inter-urban road (design speed 96 kph) which is expected to have a typically interurban seasonal variation pattern. The traffic information available from the  traffic model is the expected normal high growth 2-way 24 hour AADT flows on each road for the year 2023 (the design year). Figure Q2.1 shows the AADT flows predicted for each of the arms to the intersection in the design year. Assessment of turning movements at the junction based on existing traffic flow data indicated the proportions in  Figure Q2.2. Assume i) a 60/40 split with the entry flows from the west and south dominant; ii) a 50/ 50 split with the entry flows from the west and south dominant, and iii) a 70/30 split with the entry flows from the west and south dominant. The geometric features of the existing junction is shown in Table Q2.1. On the basis of the forecasted AADT flows in the design year and accompanying geometric data, determine the:

a) Ratio of flow to capacity (RFC) of each turning stream of traffic and the 3 assumed tidal splits 50/50, 60/40 and 75/25. Indicate most critical in each case

1. Work is to be word-processed and this should be in a clear legible typeface.
2. All the work must be the student¶s oZn. All Zritten Zork to be put through µTurnitin¶ and final report included with submission (maximum similarity index 30%).
3. Submissions must be properly structured; this may involve pre-planning your work. The report must have an introduction, a contents page, rationale and conclusion as well as the main subject matter.
4. All figures and tables must be appropriately titled within the body of the text.
5. All pages should be clearly numbered.
6. A bibliography and/or any references used must be provided. Referencing to be Harvard Notation (if in doubt, check µCite them Right¶).
7. Sketches may be in pencil with inked notes or produced by computer.
8. Calculations must be logically laid out so that they can be easily checked.
9. All work submitted must have a front sheet that clearly shows the student ID, module code and title, module instructor (s), academic term and academic year.
10.The Zork must be submitted on MOODLE ³Turnitin´ before the deadline.
11.Work which is submitted after the deadline but within 24 hours of the due date and time will have 5% deduction in the marks, submission which is beyond 24 hours will receive zero marks, unless extenuating circumstances are approved.