This practical training is designed to support road engineers and technicians in mastering the real-world processes of road infrastructure design. It focuses on two common situations encountered in the professional environment:
- the construction of a new road,
- the widening and reinforcement of an existing road.
Thanks to the use of specialized software such as Autopiste and Covadis 17, this training offers a modern, efficient and entirely practical approach to road design.
What you will learn
The training covers several essential skills:
- Creation of a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) on Covadis 17
- Designing a new road
- Design within the framework of widening or strengthening an existing road
- Generation of technical listings and outputs via Autopiste
Prerequisites
To follow this training course effectively, it is recommended to have a good command of:
- AutoCAD
- The basics of road terminology
Detailed course content
1. Fundamental reminders
This first chapter reviews the essential concepts of road design:
- technical terms,
- general information,
- and the different components of a road.
These prerequisites allow us to lay a solid foundation before moving on to case studies.
2. Case study: Construction of a new road
In this chapter, you will learn how to design a road in open countryside using the Autopiste software.
You will see how:
- Prepare and import a topographic survey
- Draw the axis in plan view
- Develop the longitudinal profile
- Produce the current cross-sectional profiles
All in a single AutoCAD file, greatly facilitating modifications.
Unlike PISTE 5.05 (1999), still used in some design offices but limited for updates, Autopiste offers:
- smooth change management
- the integration of intersections,
- and the handling of typed points.
It is now an indispensable tool in the sector.
3. Case study: Widening and strengthening a road
This third chapter deals with a common case: the improvement of a classified road, taking into account existing infrastructure.
The process begins with:
- Calculating a DEM that incorporates the existing pavement as a break line,
in order to obtain a model that is faithful to the real terrain.
Next, the designer draws the road axis according to the project's objective:
- Reinforcement → maintaining the existing axis
- Enlargement → possibility of modifying or shifting the route if the standards are not met
The design process continues with:
- the longitudinal profile,
- cross-sectional profiles
- and technical checks (TP, PL, PTC) up to final validation.
This section details the best practices needed to ensure the reliability and compliance of the project.
Target audience
This training is intended for:
- Road engineers
- The technicians in the field
- Companies and design offices operating in the construction industry
Format: MP4 – DWG (9 Files)
Language : French
Duration : 05:33M
Size : 4.79 GB
Road Design on Autoroutes – Covadis 17
This article was last updated on November 30, 2025
