1

CHAPTER 1

ROADWAY AND BALLAST1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part/Section Description Page

1 Roadbed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1-1
1.1 Exploration and T esting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1-4
1.2 Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1-13
1.3 Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1-40
1.4 Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1-55
1.5 Recommended Practices for Foundations Under Road Crossings and Special Trackwork . . . . . . . . . . 1-1-71 1
1.6 Alternative Ground Improvement Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1-81

2 Ballast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-1
2.0 Substructure Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-3
2.1 Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-4
2.2 Material Introduction (1991) R(2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-8
2.3 Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-9 3
2.4 Property Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-9
2.5 Production and Handling (1988) R(2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-12
2.6 Loading (1988) R(2015). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-12
2.7 Inspection (1988) R(2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-13
2.8 Sampling and T esting (1988) R(2015). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-13
2.9 Measurement and Payment (1988) R(2015). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-13
2.10 Maintenance Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-14
2.11 Sub-ballast Recommended Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-21
2.12 Hot Mix Asphalt (HMS) Underlayment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2-27

3 Natural Waterways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3-1

3.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3-2
3.2 Hydrologic Capacity of Waterway Openings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3-3
3.3 Determination of Hydraulic Capacity of Structures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3-25
3.4 Scour Concepts, Evaluation and Protection Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3-47

1
The material in this and other chapters in the AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering is published as recommended practice to railroads and others
concerned with the engineering, design and construction of railroad fixed properties (except signals and communications), and allied services and facilities.
For the purpose of this Manual, RECOMMENDED PRACTICE is defined as a material, device, plan, specification, principle or practice recommended to
the railways for use as required, either exactly as presented or with such modifications as may be necessary or desirable to meet the needs of individual
railways, but in either event, with a view to promoting efficiency and economy in the location, construction, operation or maintenance of railways. It is not
intended to imply that other practices may not be equally acceptable.

© 2019, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association 1-i

 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT)

Part/Section Description Page

3.5 New Construction of Permanent Roadbed (Causeway) Across Bodies of Water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3-48
3.6 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3-50

4 Culverts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-1
4.1 Location and Type. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-7
4.2 Specifications for Placement of Reinforced Concrete Culvert Pipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-10
4.3 Specifications for Prefabricated Corrugated Steel Pipe and Pipe-arches for Culverts,
Storm Drains, and Underdrains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-10
4.4 Specifications for Coated Corrugated Steel Pipe and Arches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-17
4.5 Standard Specification for Corrugated Aluminum Alloy Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-18
4.6 Material Requirements for Corrugated Structural Steel Plate Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-24
4.7 Specifications for Corrugated Structural Aluminum Alloy Plate Pipe, Pipe-arches, and Arches 1-4-26
4.8 Specifications for Corrugated High Density Polyethylene Pipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-29
4.9 Specifications for Corrugated Polypropylene Pipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-29
4.10 Specifications for Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer Mortar (FRPM) Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-30
4.12 Hydraulics of Culverts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-32
4.13 Design Criteria for Corrugated Metal Pipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-60
4.14 Design Criteria for Structural Plate Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-77
4.15 Structural Design Considerations of Corrugated High Density Polyethylene and Polypropylene Pipes 1-4-82
4.16 Structural Design Considerations for Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer Mortar (FRPM) Pipes. . . . . . . 1-4-84
4.17 Structural Design Considerations Of Steel Reinforced Polyethylene (SRPE) Pipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-85
4.18 Culvert End Treatments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-86
4.19 Assembly and Installation of Pipe Culverts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-90
4.20 Earth Boring and Jacking Culvert Pipe through Fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-95
4.21 Culvert Rehabilitation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-97
4.22 Specification for Steel Tunnel Liner Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-102
4.23 Construction of Tunnel Using Steel Tunnel Liner Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-110
4.24 Culvert Inspection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-111
4.25 Perforated Pipe Drains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-119
4.26 Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4-123

5 Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5-1
5.1 Guidelines for Pipelines Conveying Flammable Substances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5-4
5.2 Specifications for Uncased Gas Pipelines within the Railway Right-of-Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5-11
5.3 Guidelines for Pipelines Conveying Non-Flammable Substances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5-24
5.4 Guidelines for Overhead Pipelines Crossings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5-30
5.5 Specifications for Fiber Optic “Route” Construction on Railroad Right of Way. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5-31
5.6 Guidelines for Fiber Optic “Route” Construction on Railroad Right of Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5-39
5.7 Guidelines for Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) Construction on Railroad Right-of-Way . . . . 1-5-53
5.8 Microtunneling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5-59
5.9 Pilot Tube Guided Boring Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5-75
5.10 Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5-91

6 Fences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6-1
6.0 Fencing (2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6-3
6.1 Fence Types and Usage General Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6-4
6.2 Design Considerations (2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6-25
6.3 Material Selections Considerations (2015). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6-25
6.4 Other Fence Components and Specialty Applications (2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6-25

© 2019, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association

1-ii AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering

 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT)

Part/Section Description Page

6.5 Methods of Controlling Drifting Snow R(2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6-32

6.6 Recommendations for Snow Fences R(2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6-36
6.7 Methods of Controlling Drifting Sand (2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6-53

7 Roadway Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7-1

7.1 Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7-2
7.2 Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7-4
7.3 Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7-4

8 Tunnels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8-1
8.1 Scope and Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8-2
8.2 Related Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8-2
8.3 Notable North American Railroad Tunnels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8-3
8.4 Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8-4
8.5 Maintenance and Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8-29
8.6 Measurement and Payment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8-34
8.7 Ventilation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8-35
8.8 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8-40
8.9 Glossary of Common Tunneling Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8-41

9 Vegetation Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9-1 1

9.1 Rationale and Scope of Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9-2
9.2 Preparing a Vegetation Control Program (2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9-3
9.3 Executing a Vegetation Control Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9-11
9.4 Evaluating Results of a Vegetation Control Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9-14
9.5 Glossary (2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9-16
9.6 Lead Agencies in the United States (2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9-17
9.7 Commentary (2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9-19
3

10 Geosynthetics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10-1
10.0 Introduction to Part 10 Geosynthetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10-3
10.1 Geotextile Specifications for Railroad T rack Separation/Stabilization Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10-3
10.2 Geotextile Specifications for Railroad Drainage Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10-25
10.3 Geotextile Specifications for Railroad Erosion Control Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10-30
10.4 Geocomposite Drainage System Specifications for Railroad Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10-36
4
10.5 Cellular Confinement System Specification for Railroad Use. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10-40
10.6 Geogrid Guidelines for Ballast and Sub-Ballast Reinforcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10-44

Chapter 1 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-G-1

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-R-1

© 2019, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association

AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering 1-iii

 INTRODUCTION

The Chapters of the AREMA Manual are divided into numbered Parts, each comprised of related documents (specifications,
recommended practices, plans, etc.). Individual Parts are divided into Sections by centered headings set in capital letters and
identified by a Section number. These Sections are subdivided into Articles designated by numbered side headings.

Page Numbers – In the page numbering of the Manual (1-2-1, for example) the first numeral designates the Chapter
number, the second denotes the Part number in the Chapter, and the third numeral designates the page number in the Part.
Thus, 1-2-1 means Chapter 1, Part 2, page 1.

In the Glossary and References, the Part number is replaced by either a “G” for Glossary or “R” for References.

Document Dates – The bold type date (Document Date) at the beginning of each document (Part) applies to the document
as a whole and designates the year in which revisions were last made somewhere in the document, unless an attached footnote
indicates that the document was adopted, reapproved, or rewritten in that year.

Article Dates – Each Article shows the date (in parenthesis) of the last time that Article was modified.

Revision Marks – All current year revisions (changes and additions) which have been incorporated into the document are
identified by a vertical line along the outside margin of the page, directly beside the modified information.

Proceedings Footnote – The Proceedings footnote on the first page of each document gives references to all Association
action with respect to the document.

Annual Updates – New manuals, as well as revision sets, will be printed and issued yearly.

© 2019, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association

1-iv AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering