Cross slope is a geometric feature of pavement surfaces; the transversal slope [%] with respect to the horizon. It is a very important safety factor. One task is to make water run off the surface to a drainage

Drainage

Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from an area. Many agricultural soils need drainage to improve production or to manage water supplies.-Early history:...

 system, as Cross Slope is the main contributor to Pavement Drainage gradient

Drainage gradient

Drainage gradient is a term in road technology, defining the resulting vector of a road surface cross slope and longitudinal gradient .If the DG is too low, rain and melt water drainage will be insufficient...

. Very low Drainage gradients bring unacceptable risk for Road slipperiness

Road slipperiness

Road slipperiness or skid resistance is the technical term for the cumulative effects of snow, ice, water, loose material and the road surface on the traction produced by the wheels of a vehicle...

. On straight sections of normal two lane roads, the pavement cross section

Cross section (geometry)

In geometry, a cross-section is the intersection of a figure in 2-dimensional space with a line, or of a body in 3-dimensional space with a plane, etc...

 usually has a roof-shaped double-sided cross slope. In horizontal curves, the cross slope is banked into superelevation

Cant (road/rail)

The cant of a railway track or a road is the difference in elevation between the two edges...

, in order to reduce hazardous lateral forces. If the cross slope magnitude oscillates within 1 - 25 meters, the body and payload of high (heavy) vehicles will experience high roll vibration.