Geometric Road Design
The engineering behind every curve and grade: from design standards to review-ready plan/profile sheets.
A course that builds a design engineer, not a software operator: starting from design standards and controls (design speed, sight distances), through horizontal and vertical alignment, cross-sections and superelevation, to earthworks, drainage basics, and deliverable production — referencing the Egyptian code and AASHTO concepts, applied end-to-end on a real road project.
By the numbers
- 7
- Training modules
- 24
- Hands-on topics
- 2
- Software covered
- 2
- Training languages (ar/en)
What you’ll learn
- Classify roads and select the right design criteria from the Egyptian code and AASHTO concepts
- Work the design controls: design speed, sight distances, and the design vehicle
- Design horizontal alignment: tangents, circular and transition curves to their minimum criteria
- Design vertical alignment: grades, crest and sag curves, and sight-distance requirements
- Build the cross-section and compute superelevation and its attainment
- Compute earthworks, read the mass-haul diagram, and understand drainage basics
The syllabus, module by module
Module 1 — Road classification & design standards
- Functional classification: freeway, arterial, collector, local — and how it drives every design decision
- Design references: the Egyptian roads code and AASHTO concepts — how to read and cite them
- Level of service and design traffic volume — a practical overview
Module 2 — Design controls
- Design vs. operating speed and selection criteria
- Sight distances: stopping, passing, decision — computing and applying them
- The design vehicle and turning paths
Module 3 — Horizontal alignment
- Alignment elements: tangents and circular curves and their geometry
- Minimum radii: the speed / side-friction / superelevation relationship
- Transition (spiral) curves: when required and how computed
- Exercise: lay out a road alignment on a real topographic map
Module 4 — Vertical alignment
- Maximum and minimum grades by classification and terrain
- Crest curves: designing by sight distance
- Sag curves: headlight criteria, lighting, and comfort
- Coordinating horizontal and vertical alignment to avoid visual defects
Module 5 — Cross-section & superelevation
- Section elements: lanes, shoulders, median, and side slopes
- Superelevation computation, attainment length, and the rotation axis
- Curve widening and sections in mountainous vs. flat terrain
Module 6 — Earthworks & quantities
- Section areas and cut/fill volumes between stations
- The mass-haul diagram: reading it and using it for balancing and haul estimates
- Swell and shrinkage factors and their effect on quantities
Module 7 — Drainage & final deliverables
- Road-drainage basics: cross-fall, side ditches, and culverts
- Producing plan/profile sheets and typical cross-sections
- An introduction to the road project’s bill of quantities
- Capstone: a complete geometric design for a road segment on real survey data
Who this course is for
- Recent civil-engineering graduates heading into roads and infrastructure
- Site and technical-office engineers who want the design rationale behind the sheets they execute
- Surveyors on road projects who want to read designs and speak the designer’s language
- Civil 3D trainees who want to master the "why" behind the "how"
Software covered
Prerequisites
- A civil or surveying background (final-year student or graduate)
- AutoCAD basics for the applied exercises
- Civil 3D fluency is not required — the software application is kept light, and the dedicated course is available separately
Certificate
A GeoGiza certificate of completion, issued after the capstone project and signed by the lead instructor.
Course FAQs
Is this a software course or a design course?
A design course first: standards, computations, and engineering decisions. AutoCAD and Civil 3D appear as light application tools — for tool mastery there is the dedicated Civil 3D course.
Which design code do you follow?
The Egyptian roads code is the primary reference, with the corresponding AASHTO concepts explained since they are the language of regional projects and consultants.
Does this suit a site engineer with no design experience?
Yes — it builds the foundation from zero, and understanding the design logic immediately improves how you read sheets and decide on site.
Do I need the Civil 3D course alongside it?
They complement each other: this course gives you the engineering reasoning; the Civil 3D course gives you execution speed in the tool. Many trainees take design first, then the tool.
Register interest in this course
Leave your details and we will reach out with the next cohort’s dates and details.
Complete your training path
Autodesk Civil 3D for Surveying & Infrastructure
From the field point to a complete deliverable sheet — the real workflow our engineers run on live projects every day.
Syllabus & detailsGNSS/GPS Data Correction & Post-Processing
Understand the error budget, pick the right technique, and deliver centimeter-grade coordinates backed by QC reports.
Syllabus & detailsOur guarantees to you
We take the risk off your project — so you can commit with confidence.
Accuracy guarantee
If a deliverable misses the agreed accuracy spec, we re-survey and correct it at no extra cost.
On-time commitment
We agree the delivery schedule up front and keep you updated at every stage until it's met.
Full confidentiality
Every engagement is covered by an NDA. Your data and drawings are never shared.
You own the files
You receive the editable source files (DWG, DXF and more) — full ownership, no lock-in.