| Primary value | 1 : 50 for cement concrete (WBM 1 : 33 · bitumen 1 : 40 · earth 1 : 25) |
| Applies to | Internal driveways and approach roads in townships · Compound / society roads up to 7 m wide · Light-traffic urban roads (residential layouts) |
| Exceptions | Cement concrete (smooth) → 1 : 50 (2.0%) |
| Bituminous (modern asphalt) → 1 : 40 (2.5%) | |
| Water-bound macadam (WBM) → 1 : 33 (3.0%) | |
| Earth / unpaved surface → 1 : 25 (4.0%) | |
| Heavy-rainfall belt → Use steeper limit | |
| High-speed road (≥ 100 km/h) → Reduce camber by 10–15% for lateral stability | |
| Measured as | Vertical drop from the crown of the carriageway to the edge, divided by half the carriageway width. Expressed as ratio (1 : N) or percentage. Both sides drain to side drains. |
| Source | IRC SP 13 / IRC 86 — Camber design tables ✓ Verified |
4 related items across IS codes, knowledge articles, design rules, maps and tools
Camber is the entire reason a road sheds water — too little and puddles form on the surface, accelerating cracking; too much and vehicles drift outward in fast turns. The IRC table maps surface roughness to ideal camber: smoother surfaces (cement) need less drop because water flows easily; rougher surfaces (earth) need steeper drop to overcome surface tension and absorption.
Most internal township roads in India are 7 m wide with a 1:50 cement concrete surface — that's a 70 mm crown rise from edge to centre. A 4 m bitumen driveway uses 1:40 with a 50 mm crown. Side drains catch the runoff at the edge.