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Vertical Curve Profile Views
Vertical Alignment
Fundamentals
CE 322
Transportation Engineering
Dr. Ahmed Abdel-Rahim, Ph.D., P.E.
Fig. 3.3
Offsets Offset Formulas
Offsets are vertical distances from initial For an equal tangent parabola,
A 2 (G2 G1 ) 2
tangent to the curve Y
200 L
x OR Y ax 2
2L
x
Y = offset (ft) at any distance, x, from the PVC
x, A, and L are as previously defined
Fig. 3.4
careful with units…
1
st equation:
if A is in %...x and L should be in feet
If A is in ft/ft…L should be in stations and x in feet
2nd equation:
If grade is in %...x and L should be in station
If grade is in ft/ft…x and L should be in feet
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Distance to Zero Grade
‘K’ Values (low or high point)
Rate of change in grade at successive points Computing high/low points for curves (provided the high/low
on the curve is point is not at a curve end) by,
G1 L
Constant xhl = K |G1| or xhl
G2 G1
= L/A in percent per ft Where xhl = distance from the PVC to the high/low point in feet
L/A …distance required per 1% change in gradient Careful of units…
1 equation:
st
The quantity L/A is termed ‘K’ if G1 is in % then xhl is in feet
if G1 is in ft/ft then xhl is in stations
2nd equation:
L can be in feet or stations and you will have xhl in similar
units.
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Example Problem Vertical Curve Through a Point
A 1600-ft-long sag vertical curve (equal tangent) has a
Illustration
PVI at station 200+00 and elevation 1472 ft. The Solution steps
initial grade is –3.5% and the final grade is +6.5%. Use Equation 3.1
Determine parameters a, b, and c
Determine the elevation and stationing
Substitute parameters into Equation 3.1
of the low point, PVC, and PVT.
Solve for L as a quadratic equation
Review problem
Culvert clearance
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SSD and Curve Design
SSD and Crest Design vertical curves, to provide
Vertical Curve Design adequate stopping-sight distance (SSD)
Minimize costs by minimizing curve
length
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SSD and Curve Design SSD Factors
SSD formulation was given in Chapter 2 Important for crest curves
and 3 Required sight distance
Eq. 2.50 ds = d + dr (Eq. 2.50) Curve length
V12
Initial and final grades (which grade??)
Eq. 3.12 SSD V1 tr Eye and object heights
a
2 g G Fig. 3.6
g
SSD given in Table 3.1
using AASHTO values of a = 11.2 ft/s2 and tr = 2.5 sec
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Minimum Curve Length Minimum Curve Length
Minimum curve length, based on parabola For adequate SSD use the following
Using the equations
specifications:
A SSD2
Lm for SSD L
200
Eq. 3.13 2
H1 H 2 H1 (driver’s eye height) = 3.5 ft (1080 mm)
Eq. 3.14 Lm 2 SSD
200 H1 H 2 2
for SSD L H2 (object height) = 2.0 ft (600 mm)
A
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Minimum Curve Length Example Problem 3.5
Substituting these values into previous two A highway is being designed to AASHTO guidelines
equations yields: with a 70-mph design speed and, at one section, an
equal tangent vertical curve must be designed to
US Customary Metric
connect grades of +1.0% and –2.0%.
For SSD < L
A SSD 2
A SSD 2
Lm
2158
Lm
658
(3.15) Determine the minimum length of vertical curve
necessary to meet SSD requirements.
For SSD > L
2158 658
Lm 2 SSD Lm 2 SSD (3.16)
A A
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Example Problem 3.5 Curve Where SSD > L
Speed = 70 mph (See Mathcad worksheet)
Eq. 3.15, SSD < L SSD = 730 ft
Just reduce the final grade
G1 = 1%
G2 = -1%
Eq. 3.16, SSD > L So…A = 2
Both are very similar, but choose 740.82 because >
SSD (730)
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K Values for Adequate SSD Notes About Both K-values Tables
Design Controls for Crest Vertical Curves Based on SSD
US Customary Metric Because K = L/A…L = SSD2/2158 (US Customary)
Design
Stopping
sight
Rate of vertical
curvature, Ka
Design
Stopping
sight
Rate of vertical
curvature, Ka
For SSD < L
speed speed
distance distance
(mi/h) Calculated Design (km/h) Calculated Design
(ft) (m)
Table 15 80 3.0 3 20 20 0.6 1
Table 3.2,
20 115 6.1 7 30 35 1.9 2
3.2 25 155 11.1 12 40 50 3.8 4 SSD calculations use G = 0
30 200 18.5 19 50 65 6.4 7
35 250 29.0 29 60 85 11.0 11 For larger grades > 3% calculate SSD
40
45
305
360
43.1
60.1
44
61
70
80
105
130
16.8
25.7
17
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Assume SSD < L
50
55
425
495
83.7
113.5
84
114
90
100
160
185
38.9
52.0
39
52 Effects of assumption
60
65
570
645
150.6
192.8
151
193
110
120
220
250
73.6
95.0
74
95
Equation for Lm with SSD > L … equal to or larger than
70 730 246.9 247 130 285 123.4 124 other equation
75 820 311.6 312
80 910 383.7 384
a
Rate of vertical curvature, K, is the length of curve per percent algebraic difference in
intersecting grades (A). K = L/A
Source: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials,
“A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets,” Washington, D.C., 2001.
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Check SSD < L Assumption
How would you (see equations
test this 3.15 and 3.16)
assumption? (see Matchcad
worksheet)
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