Ditch, slope, shoulder, right-of-way, bridge, vehicle, culvert

 

1. Any means in or by which someone travels or something is carried.

2. A long, narrow excavation made in the ground by digging, as for draining or irrigating land.

3. A structure that spans and provides a passage over a road, railway, river, or some other obstacle.

4. Ground which has a natural inclination, as the side of the hill.

5. A portion of the right-of-way which is wide for safe emergency stopping and sloped for proper drainage.

6. A drain or channel crossing under a road, sidewalk, etc.

7. The zone which is marked for laying the road, excavating the soil for filling the embankments, for building ancillary structures and for green plantings.

 

Language Focus

 

9. Arrange the synonyms in pairs:

 

needs, fulfill, permit, exact, govern, determine, locate, ditch, allow, demands, direct, carry out, trench, accurate, decide, place.

 

10. Form nouns from the following verbs and translate them:

To plan, to travel, to predict, to grow, to participate, to meet, to discover, to exist, to locate, to draw, to pave, to determine.

11. Translate the following sentences into English:

1. Инженеры-дорожники составляют стандарты (нормы) для различных видов дорог, магистралей и мостов.

2. При планировании новой дороги следует чертить карты.

3. Карты показывают местоположение рек, озер, лесов, холмов, других дорог, железных дорог и домов.

4.Используя эти карты, инженеры выполняют детальные чертежи, называемые планами.

5. При планировании магистрали следует знать, где люди живут и куда они хотят ездить.

6. Участие общества в планировании дорог в США является весьма важным.

 

Speak on:

 

12. Speak about planning of roads and highways. Use the following expressions as introductions:

 

It is known that … It should be noted that …

It is essential to note that … It is a well-known fact that...

UNIT VI. ORGANIZATION OF SURVEY WORK

 

Pre-reading tasks

 

1. Translate the following words and memorize them:

 

survey (surveying) estimate to execute to adopt accuracy

data quarry to utilize available gradient

2. Match English and Russian equivalents.

 

1. survey work a. климатологическая информация

2. economic surveys b. приблизительная смета

3. engineering surveys c. изыскательские работы

4. approximate estimate d. технические изыскания

5. cartographical information e. быть ответственным за

6. climatological information f. картографическая информация

7. to be in charge of g. экономические изыскания

 

Reading task

 

3. Read the text carefully and do the tasks that follow:

 

Economic and engineering surveys are carried out mainly by special road designing and surveying organizations. The field work is executed by a special survey party that collects the required materials and performs the necessary surveying work. In the process of surveying appropriate data Surveyor at work with a leveling instrument

must be obtained for making an approximate estimate of the quantities and cost of the work and also for establishing the required road-building materials both from local and from outside sources, and whether their quantity is sufficient for construction of the road or bridge.

The time rates for carrying out the survey and designing work are established with a view to the type of survey and the nature of the relief of the area, as well as the climatic and other local conditions influencing the efficiency of work of the party. The head of the survey party is in charge of all works and carries full responsibility for the accuracy of the survey field work, and also for the thoroughness and quality of all the data collected.

During surveys special attention should be focused on the study of local natural conditions and in particular on the carrying out of geological and soil investigations.

The survey party usually includes a geological engineer, who is in charge of all operations concerned with geological and soil investigations, and with the location of quarries for road-building materials.

The designing and surveying departments check the quality of the survey party’s work with the aid of special inspectors.

The season of the year does not limit the survey operations at present. Surveys are carried out all the year round with the exception of the northern regions of Siberia and Far East. However, surveying operations in winter encounter considerable difficulties, which lead to an increase in cost.

When studying climatological information it is necessary to establish the general climatic conditions of the area where the road is to be laid (average monthly temperature over the year, average monthly intensity of snowfall and rainfall for a year). All these items must be substantiated by means of information obtained from local meteorological stations and from highway authorities. These data are utilized in finalizing decisions relating to design.

On the basis of the available cartographical information the location of road is selected. The location of the road is studied on large-scale maps, which are termed topographical maps. Relief and detailed regional situation are indicated on them. The alternative locations of the route are considered, whether to lead the road around or through intermediary towns and cities, to cross large water courses or along a valley, etc.

Simultaneously with map route location the main technical standards for designing the road should be established. The class of the road, the type and width of the carriageway and the overall width, maximum gradient and minimum radius of curves, etc., are included in such technical standards. The class of road and technical standards adopted must be in accordance with the potential development of traffic over a period of not less than 10 years.

 

Comprehension check

 

4. Answer the following questions.

 

1. Is it necessary to carry out survey work of the land before the construction of a road?

2. Who usually performs an examination of the shape, size and position of a piece of land?

3. What data are usually obtained in the process of surveying by a special survey party?

4. What should special attention be focused on during surveys?

5. Does the season of the year limit the survey operations?

6. What does climatological information include?

7. What is usually indicated on topographical maps?

8. What do technical standards comprise?

 

Vocabulary practice

 

5. Choose the right translation of the word:

 

1. elevate a) включать b) смещать с) поднимать

2. demand a) требование b) бедствие с) нагрузка

3. utilize a) побуждать b) нагнетать с) использовать, применять

4. route a) резина b) трасса, маршрут с) выступ

5. maintain a) сопротивляться b) усиливать с) содержать, обслуживать, ремонтировать

6. urban a) городской b) доступный с) заметный

7. towards a) вперед b) к, по направлению с) вниз

8. available a) соответствующий b) благоприятный с) имеющийся в распоряжении

9. resistance a) сопротивление b) прочность с) мощение

10. aggregate a) агрегат b) заполнитель (бетона) с) множество

6. Match the words with their definitions:

 

Survey, curve, accuracy, investigation, climate, data, condition

 

1. A continuous bending line that has no straight parts.

2. The long-term prevalent weather conditions of an area, determined by latitude, position relative to oceans or continents, altitude, etc.

3. A particular state of being or existence; situation with respect to circumstances.

4. A single piece of information; fact.

5. To plot a detailed map of (an area of land) by measuring or calculating distances and height.

6. A careful search or examination in order to discover facts.

7. The degree of agreement between a measured or computed value of a physical quantity and the standard or accepted value for that quantity.

 

Language Focus

 

7. Find synonyms to the following words in the text:

 

To help, to fulfill, to use, to point out, to involve, care, research, to call, to accept, to pay attention to.

 

8. Define the part of speech of the following words:

 

mainly, appropriate, approximate, responsibility, thoroughness, include, exception, encounter, indicate, intermediary, simultaneously, curve, surveyor, situate, relief, focus, accuracy, available.
Verb	Noun	Adjective	Adverb

 

9. Translate the following groups of words into Russian:

 

a) a number; the number of accidents; a number of advantages; in magazine number one; motor-car number.

b) to take interest; to take into account; it takes me an hour to get to the University; to take part in; to take place.

c) to develop road-building industry; to develop the necessary properties; to develop a new type of machinery; the development of the economy; the development of mechanism.

 

10. Choose the appropriate preposition:

 

1. Preliminary survey was carried out (with, by, of) means (in, upon, of) aerial photography.

2. (On, in, for) order to protect the surface from heat and cold it was covered with special substance.

3. Both the bridge (of, to, and) the tunnel will be finished in time.

4. Owing (at, to, of) the new system of regulations the number of accidents went down.

5. The access to the bridge was difficult due (at, to, of) the great amount of snow which had fallen during the last week.

6. Because (for, to, of) the cracks on the road surface they had to close this section of the road for transport.

7. Good lighting helps cut accidents for both vehicles (for, and, to) pedestrians.

 

Summarizing.

 

11. Write a short summary of the text. You may use the following clichés:

 

The text deals with…

The author describes (stresses, points out)…

Special attention is paid to…

The author comes to the conclusion that…

 

UNIT VII. RIGHT-OF-WAY AND ROAD CROSS-SECTION

 

Pre-reading tasks

 

1. Translate the following words and memorize them:

 

to mark separate snowdrift borrow pit to allocate to terminate center line

to reinforce strip ancillary volume to stack aggregate carriageway

 

2. Match the equivalents.

 

1. cross section a) ось дороги

2. to fill the embankment b) делать пригодным

3. green plantings c) поперечный профиль

4. excavation of borrow pit d) вертикальная плоскость

5. section e) отсыпать насыпь

6. to render suitable f)упор (дорожного покрытия) у краев

7. vertical plane g) выемка кювет резерва

8. centre line h) сечение (разрез)

9. lateral support i) временные сооружения

10. temporary structures j) зеленые насаждения

 

Reading task

3. Read the text carefully and do the tasks that follow:

 

The zone which is marked for laying the road, excavating the soil for filling the embankments, for building ancillary structures and for green plantings is called the road zone, or right–of–way. The higher the technical class of the road, the wider is the right–of–way for its construction.

Within the limits of inhabited places or agricultural lands used for especially valuable crops, the width of the road zone should be reduced to a minimum, and includes only the width strictly necessary for the road.

In separate cases, for example for building offices, for excavation of quarries for road–building materials, for planting fruit trees as protection against snowdrifts, excavation of borrow pits near the route, certain additional areas may be allocated. However, after the termination of construction works, the land which was appropriated for temporary structures, for the excavation of borrow pits and quarries, has to be leveled, and rendered suitable for further use in agriculture.

The section of a road by a vertical plane at right angles to the road centre line is called a cross–section. The road surface strip within the limits of which motor vehicles run is called a carriageway or roadway. Usually it is reinforced by means of natural or artificial stone aggregates (concrete) which form the pavements. The strips of ground adjacent to the carriageway are called the road shoulders. The shoulders render lateral support to the pavement, which is made of solid materials within the limits of the carriageway. Shoulders are used for temporary parking of vehicles, as well as for road machinery during the road overhaul or for stacking road repair materials.

 

Comprehension check

 

4. Answer the following questions:

 

1. What information does this text carry?

2. What is the right-of-way?

3. In what cases is the width of the right–of–way made wider?

4. When is it necessary to reduce the width of the right–of–way to a minimum?

5. What should be done with the land appropriated for temporary structures after the termination of construction works?

6. What is the cross–section of a road?

7. What is a carriageway?

8. What is used to reinforce the carriageway?

9. What are shoulders?

10. What can yousay about the function of shoulders?

 

5. Complete the sentences using the text:

 

1. Right–of–way is ….

2. Certain additional areas may be allocated in separate cases, for example ….

3. The workers have to render suitable for further use in agriculture the land which ….

4. Motor vehicles run within ….

5. Natural or artificial stone aggregates are used for ….

6. Lateral support to the pavement is provided by ….

7. You can park your vehicle ….

 

Language Focus

 

6. Arrange the synonyms in pairs:

 

To terminate, to protect, within, overhaul, ancillary, to allocate, to defend, to finish, in, to reserve, to reinforce, auxiliary, repair, to strengthen.

 

7. Give the derivatives of the following words (adjectives, adverbs, nouns, verbs) and translate them:

 

To protect, to excavate, to level, to suit, wide, to value, to reduce, strict, to separate.

 

8. Fill in the correct prepositions:

 

over

for

since

in

from

by

to

of

to

 

1. If the car is well maintained it will not need any repair … several years.

2. Cement has many advantages … traditional materials forit can be easily laid, compacted and shaped.

3. Considerable attention must be given to the reconstruction of roads … order … make them suitable for high–speed motor traffic.

4. …. excavators are heavy and slow–moving machines they are carried …site…site … special transporters.

5. Salt spreading on roads reduce the number … traffic accidents.

 

9. Fill in the blanks using the words below and translate the text:

 

Water, embankment, soil, utilization, quantity, near, level

 

ROADBED

In order to lay the carriageway at the required ______ above the ground surface a formation or roadbed is constructed in the form of embankments or cuttings with side ditches for drainage and diversion of ______. The formation includes also borrow pits – shallow excavations from which the ______ was used for filling the embankments, and spoil banks, which are heaps of excessive soil, parallel to the road, remaining after excavation of cuttings.

If the embankment is low soil for its construction can be taken from the widen side ditches. When the ______ is high the soil has to be taken from cuttings adjacent to the road or from shallow excavations made near the road and called borrow pits. When the embankments are high and require a great ______ of soil, the borrow pits are usually excavated away from the embankment. In any case the borrow pits should be excavated as ______as possible to the road because by reducing the length of haul of the soil from the borrow pit to the embankment one reduces the cost of the earthworks and improves the ______ of road machinery.

 

Note:

roadbed земляное полотно

shallow excavation неглубокая выработка

spoil bank кавальер (вал)

cutting выемка

haul перевозка

 

10. Put the words in the right order to make up sentences.

 

1. should, A borrow pit, to the road construction site, near reasonable distance, be located.

2. regular slopes, are, The sides, given, of the embankment.

3. local materials, by using, The strength, should be developed, cheap, road pavements, of.

4. compaction, an instrument, in the pavement, is, for obtaining, A roller.

5. the road, When, to be in a cutting, is situated, is said, below the land surface, the road surface.

 

11. Translate from Russian into English:

 

1. В пределах населенных пунктов и пригородных сельскохозяйственных земель полосу отвода обычно уменьшают до минимума. Она включает в себя только ширину строго необходимую для дороги.

2.Чем выше категория дороги, тем шире полосы отвода для ее строительства.

3. Кювет резервы – это неглубокие выемки (excavations), из которых грунт используют для того, чтобы отсыпать насыпи.

4. Землю необходимо выровнять после окончания строительных работ и сделать ее пригодной для дальнейшего использования.

5. Обочины используют для временной парковки транспортных средств, для складывания дорожно-строительных материалов и для ремонта машин.

 

Summarizing

 

12. Write a short summary of the text. You may use the following clichés:

 

The text is devoted to …

… are discussed.

It is spoken in detail …

Much attention is given to …

The author comes to the conclusion that …

 

UNIT VIII. PAVEMENT

 

Pre-reading tasks