4.3 Supplementary Problems in Stopping Sight Distance

Analysis of Stopping Sight Distance
Highway and Railroad Engineering

CEHWRE30
MSDS
• The sight distance available depends on
i. Features of the road ahead
ii. Height of the driver’s eyes above the road surface
iii. Height of the object above the road surface
• Indian Road Congress (IRC) recommended values

o Height of driver’s eye level = 1.20 m
o Height of object above road surface = 0.15 m
MSDS
• Total Reaction Time
- Time taken from the instant the object is visible to the driver to the instant the
brakes are effectively applied
- Split in two parts:

1. Perception time
2. Brake reaction time
MSDS
1. Perception time
• Time required for a driver to realize that brakes must be applied
2. Brake reaction time

• Depends on the skill of driver, type of road, etc.
MSDS
• PIEV Theory
P erception
I ntellection (Identification)
E motion
V olition
• AASHTO recommended value = 2.5 seconds
MSDS
• Lag distance – travelled during total reaction time
• Braking distance – travelled after application of brakes
For lag distance, d:

𝑑 =𝑣∙𝑡
Where v = design speed (or initial velocity) of vehicle

t = PIEV (2.50 sec as per AASHTO)
MSDS
Stopping Sight Distance
For braking distance, L:
𝑣2
𝐿=
2𝑔𝜇
Where v = design speed (or initial velocity) of vehicle

g = acceleration due to gravity
𝜇 = coefficient of friction
MSDS
• For inclined surface (gradient),
𝑣2
𝑆𝑆𝐷 = 𝑣 ∙ 𝑡 + 𝑛
2𝑔 𝜇 ±
100
Where n = gradient (in per cent)
MSDS
Examples on Analysis of Minimum
Highway and Railroad Engineering
CEHWRE30
MSDS
Example
1. Calculate the safe stopping sight distance for design speed of 50
kph for
a.) two-way traffic on a two-lane road
b.) two-way traffic on a single plane road
Assume coefficient of friction as 0.37 and reaction time of driver as 2.5

seconds.
MSDS
Solution
𝑣2
𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑆𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝑆𝑆𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 𝑣 ∙ 𝑡 +
2𝑔𝜇
𝑘𝑚 1 ℎ𝑟∙𝑚 2
𝑘𝑚 1 ℎ𝑟∙𝑚 50 ∙
ℎ𝑟 3.6𝑠𝑒𝑐∙𝑘𝑚
= 50 ∙ ∙ 2.5 𝑠𝑒𝑐 + 𝑚
ℎ𝑟 3.6 𝑠𝑒𝑐∙𝑘𝑚 2∙9.81 ∙0.37
𝑠𝑒𝑐2
𝑆𝑆𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 61.295 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠
a. 𝑺𝑺𝑫𝒎𝒊𝒏 = 𝟔𝟏. 𝟐𝟗𝟓 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔
MSDS
Solution
On roads with restricted width or on single lane roads when two-
way movement of traffic is permitted, the minimum stopping sight
distance should be equal to twice the stopping distance to enable both
vehicles coming from opposite directions to stop.
b. 𝑆𝑆𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 2 ∗ 61.295 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 = 𝟏𝟐𝟐. 𝟓𝟗 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔
MSDS
Example
2. Calculate the minimum sight distance required to avoid head-on
collision of two cars approaching from the opposite directions at 90
kph and 60 kph. Assume a reaction time of 2.50 seconds, coefficient of
friction of 0.70 and a brake efficiency of 50 percent, in either case.
MSDS
Solution
𝑘𝑚 1000 ℎ𝑟∙𝑚 𝑚
𝑉1 = 90 ∙ = 25
ℎ𝑟 3600 𝑘𝑚∙𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑉2 = 60 ∙ = 16.667
As the brake efficiency is 50%,
𝜇 = 50% ∙ 0.7 = 0.35
MSDS
Solution
Stopping Sight Distance of the first car, SSDmin1
𝑚 25 𝑚Τ𝑠𝑒𝑐 2
𝑆𝑆𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑛1 = 25 ∙ 2.5 𝑠𝑒𝑐 + 𝑚 = 153.515 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠
𝑠𝑒𝑐 2∙9.81 ∙0.35
𝑠𝑒𝑐2
Stopping Sight Distance of the second car, SSDmin2
𝑚 16.667 𝑚Τ𝑠𝑒𝑐 2
𝑆𝑆𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑛2 = 16.667 ∙ 2.5 𝑠𝑒𝑐 + 𝑚 = 82.120 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠
𝑠𝑒𝑐 2∙9.81 ∙0.35
𝑠𝑒𝑐2
Thus, total SSD to avoid head-on collision
Total 𝑆𝑆𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 𝑆𝑆𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑛1 + 𝑆𝑆𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑛2 = 𝟐𝟑𝟓. 𝟔𝟑𝟓 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔
MSDS
Example
3. Calculate the stopping sight distance on a highway at a descending
gradient of 2% for a design speed of 80 kph. Assume other data as per
AASHTO recommendations.
MSDS
Solution
AASHTO specifications:
PIEV = 2.50 seconds
Design coefficient friction, μ = 0.35→0.40
So,
V = 80 ∙ = 22.222
MSDS
Solution
𝑣2
𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑆𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝑆𝑆𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 𝑣 ∙ 𝑡 + 𝑛
2𝑔 𝜇−100
Say μ=0.35,
𝑚 22.222 𝑚Τ𝑠𝑒𝑐 2
= 22.222 ∙ 2.5 𝑠𝑒𝑐 + 𝑚 2
𝑠𝑒𝑐 2∙9.81 ∙ 0.35−100
𝑠𝑒𝑐2
= 𝟏𝟑𝟏. 𝟖𝟐𝟓 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔
MSDS

4.3 Supplementary Problems in Stopping Sight Distance

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4.3 Supplementary Problems in Stopping Sight Distance

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Analysis of Stopping Sight Distance

Highway and Railroad Engineering

• Indian Road Congress (IRC) recommended values

- Split in two parts:

2. Brake reaction time

• AASHTO recommended value = 2.5 seconds

For lag distance, d:

Where v = design speed (or initial velocity) of vehicle

Where v = design speed (or initial velocity) of vehicle

Where n = gradient (in per cent)

Assume coefficient of friction as 0.37 and reaction time of driver as 2.5

a. 𝑺𝑺𝑫𝒎𝒊𝒏 = 𝟔𝟏. 𝟐𝟗𝟓 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔

b. 𝑆𝑆𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 2 ∗ 61.295 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 = 𝟏𝟐𝟐. 𝟓𝟗 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔

As the brake efficiency is 50%,

𝜇 = 50% ∙ 0.7 = 0.35

Stopping Sight Distance of the second car, SSDmin2

Total 𝑆𝑆𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 𝑆𝑆𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑛1 + 𝑆𝑆𝐷𝑚𝑖𝑛2 = 𝟐𝟑𝟓. 𝟔𝟑𝟓 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔

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