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GATE 2024 CE (CE2) – Question 27

Transportation Infrastructure · Airport runway length, taxiway and exit taxiway design · 1 mark · Multiple choice

The longitudinal sections of a runway have gradients as shown in the table.

End to end for sections of runway (m)Gradient (%)
0 to 200+1.0
200 to 600−1.0
600 to 1200+0.8
1200 to 1600+0.2
1600 to 2000−0.5

Consider the reduced level (RL) at the starting point of the runway as 100 m. The effective gradient of the runway is

  1. 0.02%
  2. 0.35%
  3. 0.28%
  4. 0.18%

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Correct answer: (C) 0.28%

Explanation

The reduced levels at the section ends are 100 m (at 0), 102 m (at 200), 98 m (at 600), 102.8 m (at 1200), 103.6 m (at 1600) and 101.6 m (at 2000). The effective gradient is the difference between the highest and the lowest point divided by the runway length: $\frac{103.6 - 98}{2000} = 0.0028 = 0.28\%$.