BACKGROUND

The AASHTO Drainage Manual (ADM 2014 version) provides state departments of transportation (DOTs) with a template and baseline for the development of highway drainage design manuals. The ADM provides default guidelines in the absence of a state DOT drainage manual for federally funded projects. Historically, the ADM is written in such a way that an agency can adopt and implement it with their specific design criteria that reflect their specific policies, saving significant time and resources. Since the original publication in the 1970s, many state DOT drainage design manuals have been developed based on the information and cumulative experience represented by this document and its subsequent editions. It is a publication that reflects the best knowledge and experience of several generations of highway hydraulic engineers.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research was to produce a new, up-to-date Highway Drainage Manual informed by the 2014 ADM and the results of NCHRP Project 20-07(417) that provides state DOTs and local transportation agencies with design policy and guidance and the technical background required to support them.

STATUS: Publication decision pending.