Transport Engineering is a branch of civil engineering that focuses on the design, construction and maintenance of roads, highways, and transportation system. It invoice various aspects such as road materials, geometric design, traffic management, payment design, drainage systems and safety measures.Transport engineering subject also important for Civil engineering AE and JE exams.

History of road development 

• Oldest mode of travel was footpath. Animals were also used to transport men and women.
• After invention of wheel , necessity of Hard surface was felt.
• Such hard surfaces are believed to have existed in Mesopotamia in the period of about 3500 BC.
• The first road with authentic record is that of 
  Assyrian empire  (1900BC).
• Roman constructed a system of roads and hence are considered to be pioneers of road construction
• Roman Roads: These roads were made of stone blocks of considerable thickness Depth of construction use to be 0.75 m to 1.2 m at some places.

Main features of these roads are 

• they were built straight 
• were built after the soft soil was removed and a hand stratum was reached.
• A trach of width equal to that of the carrigeway was dug
• Lime mortar was used.

Tresaguet Construction(France 1764): 

It was an improved method developed by French over Roman Roads.

• He was the inspector general of Roads in French from 1775-1785
• The thickness of road was limited to 30cm and due consideration was given to subgrade moisture and drainage of surfaces.
• Shoulders were also provided to drain off surface water.

Metcalf Construction (1717-1810)- 

• Developed by English contemporary to Tresaguet.

Telford Construction (1757-1834)

• Developed by English.
• He was the founder of ICE London.
• He also believed in using heavy foundation stones above soil subgrade in order to keep the foundation firm.

Macadam Construction (1756 -1836):

• This was as English road construction method and is still used. In this method, there was given huge importance to subgrade drainage prepared with cross slope of 1 in 36. Also Macadam suggested that heavy foundation stones are not necessary in bottom layer.
• Broken stones of a strong variety, all passing through 5cm size sieve were compacted to a uniform thickness of 10cm.
• The second layer of strong broken stones of size 3.75 cm was compacted to thickness of 10cm.
• The top layer consisted of stones of sizes less then 2cm compacted to a thickness of about 5cm and finished so that the cross- slope of pavement surface was also 1 in 36.

Water Bound Macadam (WBM)

Dense Bituminous Macadam (DBM)

Wet Mix Macadam (WMM)

California Bearing Ratio (CBR 1928, USA)

WBM is obsolete now a day due to dust nuisance in summer and mud nuisance in rain.

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Historical development of road construction

Upcoming topic list here 

Highway development in india

• Jayarkar committe and recommendations 

• Nagpur road confrence 

• Bombay road plan

• Lucknow road plan

• Highway research board