Environmental aspects of drainage systems in road projects

Abstract

Drainage systems in Road projects should be given due consideration because it influences the environment. The purpose of this research project is to study road drainage systems, as to how these affect the environment and how environmental factors affect the road, and what type of recommendation could be considered for effective, efficient and best use of the system to use in the anticipated road projects. This study is mainly concerned with the surface drainage system of the road sector. The areas selected for this study are Hakmana Town Intersection in Matara district, 1.3 km Road section from Imbulgoda on Colombo -Kandy road and Kiribathgoda Town intersection on Colombo Kandy road. The data such as Flooding, health problems, Accidents, Condition & maintenance of road drainage systems were collected through questionnaires, levels of the road profile were taken through surveying and the maximum intensities of the rainfall were collected from the department of Meteorology. Design and statistical analyses were carried out using the data. According to analyses, it was found that maintenance work influenced the flood, health problems in these sites were caused only by mosquitoes breeding and mosquitoes breeding were occurred not only by the flooding but also by the disposal of solid waste. According to this research study, it was found that the flood was the main environmental issue of drainage systems in the road projects. This problem could be controlled by proper drainage design and construction and efficient maintenance activities of drainage systems.