Lab Assignments for Design of Ground-based Transportation Systems: Applications in Microstation & GEOPAK
For use in Dr. Kockelman's
CE377K & CE367G Courses
Copyright (c) 2009 by Dr. Thomas W. Rioux
Introduction
The following Geometric Design laboratory files are for instruction and hands-on learning of computer-aided design (CAD) software in the context of highway alignments. The roadway-design software used is that favored by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) & many others is GEOPAK. This software runs through MicroStation (a common CAD package).
There are a total of 14 lab lessons provided here, as used in Dr Kockelman's Level II/capstone CE367 course, before 2011. Labs 01 through 09 are designed to give you the tools to complete a Design Project later on, and these are performed individually. The first four are in Microstation, & the latter five are in GEOPAK. These are required as two separate homeworks in Dr Kockelman's CE367G course (spring 2011 & forward), but without Lab 8 (which relies on spiral designs).
Labs 10 through 14 are the Design Project that was required in CE367. That Project relied on CAD for drafting a partial cloverleaf highway interchange, with ramps and a nearby intersection, and it was performed in teams of two.
The following are links to short videos developed by Dr. Thomas W. Rioux for a general overview of each lab (& they require you first download Microsoft Silverlight, for viewing software):
Lab01 Lab02 Lab03 Lab04 Lab05 Lab06 Lab07 Lab08 Lab09 Original ParClo Interchange Design Project Lab10 Lab11 Lab12 Lab13 Lab14
Below are the labs themselves. Please be sure to obtain a properly formatted dgn seed file for Labs 2 & up, from the instructor, so that units do not arbitrarily change when trying to rely on the dgn file that Lab 1 results in.
** Find Labs 1 through 4 pdf at this link. **
Lab 1: Introduction to MicroStation - Learn the basics of MicroStation required to operate GEOPAK.
Lab 2: Leg Centerline and Lanes using MicroStation - Learn the basics of MicroStation required to operate GEOPAK by drawing a simple leg centerline and lanes.
Lab 3: Areas & Dimensioning using MicroStation - Learn the concepts of points, lines, direction, distance, traverse, bearing and distance, Northing and Easting, dimensioning, and area measurement.
Lab 4: Pavement Edge Design using a Simple Arc with & without a Taper using MicroStation - Learn pavement edge design & vehicle off-tracking concepts using IGIDS-created vehicle turn template. Observe the reduction in circular arc radius and area when a taper section is added.
Lab 5: Horizontal Circular Curve using GEOPAK - Learn how to place a horizontal circular curve using GEOPAK.
Lab 6: Performing Lab 2 (Leg Centerline & Lanes) using GEOPAK - Learn horizontal alignment design using GEOPAK.
Lab 7: Define Superelevation Runoff using GEOPAK - Learn superelevation runoff design using GEOPAK.
Lab 8: Define a Spiral Curve using GEOPAK - Learn spiral curve design using GEOPAK.
Lab 9: Define a Vertical Profile using GEOPAK - Learn vertical alignment design using GEOPAK.
Note: If you're interested in the original design project that CE367 & CE391H students used to do (a partial cloverleaf interchange), please head here: CE367G Final Design Project Description. And here are the labs associated with that project:
Lab 10: Design Project Part 1 - Define the Vertical Alignment for Road 2000 over the Freeway using GEOPAK
Latest Update: 13 Feb 2017 03:07 PM