KNS 3493 Highway Engineering

Objectives
Vertical Alignment 2

Understand the principle of vertical alignment and its

design criteria
Understand the various consideration for the design of
vertical alignment
Calculations for the different design of vertical
alignment

Vertical Alignment Fig. 1.0 Ground profile of a proposed highway section

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The objective of vertical alignment is to B

Ground profile
determine the elevation of highway points to
ensure proper roadway drainage and an Tangent 1 Tangent 2

acceptable level of safety. A

Tangent 3
It consists of a series of straight profile lines
connected by vertical parabolic curves known as
profile grade line. Curve a Curve b

Profile grade is referred by positive grade and Curve a crest type/Summit curve
negative grade
Curve b sag type

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KNS 3493 Highway Engineering

Vertical Alignment Vertical Alignment

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Vertical curves provide a means to smoothly shift from In highway design, the grades of the disjointed segments
one tangent grade to another. They are usually parabolic of roadway are normally known before any vertical
in shape. They are classified into crest vertical curves curve calculations are initiated.
and sag vertical curves. In addition, the design speed of the roadway, the
In highway design, most vertical curves are equal- stopping sight distance, and the decision sight distance
tangent curves, which means that the horizontal distance are also well established.
from the center of the curve to the end of the curve is
identical in both directions.

General Guidelines
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Avoid the roller-coaster type of profile. Use longer

grades with gradually changing slopes consistent
with the terrain.
Avoid long and steep grades (break the long steep
grade with short sections of flatter slopes).
Maximum depth of cut and height of fill is 10
meters. Recommended maximum is 6 meters.
Try to balance the earthwork in cuts and fills.

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KNS 3493 Highway Engineering

General Consideration Terrain Classification

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Vertical curve should be: Level - highway sight distances are long without
Safe, major expense, small amounts of earthwork
Comfortable, Rolling - the natural slopes rise above or fall
Pleasingin appearance, below the road elevation with occasional steep
slopes that restrict highway alignment, moderate
Adequate for drainage.
amounts of earthwork
Mountainous - highway alignment is strongly
influenced by the ground slopes, large amount of
earthwork

Grades and Grade Control Control Grades

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Grade of a road is the vertical rise (or fall) per unit of Maximum grades
horizontal distance. 5% for 110 km/h,
It may be expressed as a percentage or as the ratio of 7-12% for 50 km/h depending on topography
one unit vertical to x units horizontal (5% or 1 in 20). intermediate grades for 60-100 km/h
Changes of grade from plus to minus should be placed
7-8 % for important highways
in cuts and changes from minus to a plus grade should
steeper by 1-2% for grades shorter than 150 m.
be placed in fills.
Minimum grades
Minimum grades are governed by drainage conditions.
0.5% (0.3 % in justified cases) for efficient drainage

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KNS 3493 Highway Engineering

Maximum Grades Maximum Grades

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Maximum Grades Vertical Curves

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Source: Mannering, F.L., Kilareski, W.P. and Washburn, S.S, Principles of Highway
Engineering and Traffic Analysis, 3rd. Ed., Wiley,United States of America, 2005

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KNS 3493 Highway Engineering

Vertical Curves Types of Vertical Curves

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Source: Mannering, F.L., Kilareski, W.P. and Washburn, S.S, Principles of Highway
Engineering and Traffic Analysis, 3rd. Ed., Wiley,United States of America, 2005

Properties of a typical vertical curve

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KNS 3493 Highway Engineering

K Parameter Example
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The following values are useful in vertical curve A plus 3.0% grade intersects a minus 2.0% grade at
design: station 4 + 350 and at an elevation of 190.500 m. Given
that a 250 m length of curve is utilized, determined the
A = G2 G1, grade change in %
station and elevation of the PC and PT. Calculate
L = length of the vertical curve in m elevations at every 20 m station and locate the station
Distance required for 1% grade change, K =
and elevation of the high point of the curve.
L/A in m/%

Solution Solution
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G1 = + 0.03 m per m; G2 = 0.02 m per m Location of high point can be calculated as follow:
L = 250 m; L/2 = 125 m G1L 3.0(250)
Station locations for the PC and PT are: xm 150 m
G2 G1 5.0
PC station = PI station L/2 = (4 + 350) 125
= 4 + 225 High point station = PC station + 150 m = (4 + 225) + 150
PT station = PC station + L = (4 + 225) + 250 = 4 + 375
= 4 + 475 Elevation of high point can be calculated as follow:
Elevations for the PC and PT are:
(G2 G1 ) xm
2
EPC = EPI G1 (L/2) = 190.500 0.03(125) E x E PC G1 xm
= 186.750 m 2L
EPT = EPI G2 (L/2) = 190.500 0.02(125)
( 0.05)150 2
= 188.000 m E x 186.750 0.03(150) 189.000 m
2(250)

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KNS 3493 Highway Engineering

Solution Sight Distances

Station X (meter) 25 on
Elevation Final elevation on
2 curve (ele+y)
initial tangent y = Ax /200L
(Epc + G1x) Sight distance on summit curves is the main
consideration in road design.-length of road ahead that
is visible to the driver
The length of curve to be used in any given situation
depends on the sight distance.
Simply the distance of visibility from one side of curve
to the other.
The greater the speed the greater the required minimum
sight distance.

SSD and Vertical Curvature Crest Vertical Curves Design

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Because the stopping sight distance should always be Crest vertical curves are curves that connect inclined
adequate, thus the length of the curve is normally sections of roadway, forming a crest, and they are
dependent upon the stopping sight distance. relatively easy to design. We only need to find an
appropriate length for the curve that will accommodate
The curve length calculations are slightly different for
the correct sight distance.
sag and crest vertical curves, and are covered separately. The stopping sight distance (depending on the
perception reaction time + braking time) is usually the
controlling sight distance.
The passing sight distance is rarely ever used as the
design sight distance, because it demands long, gentle
curvatures that are expensive and difficult to construct.

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Criteria of SSD SSD

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The heights in the calculations above should be those Determine the required SSD
that correspond to the sight distance of interest. For the
stopping sight distance, h1 = 1.1 m and h2 = 0.15 m.
While the sight distance has been portrayed as the only
parameter that affects the design of vertical curves, this
isn't entirely true. Vertical curves should also be
comfortable for the driver, aesthetically pleasing, safe, where
and capable of facilitating proper drainage. SSD = stopping sight distance (m)
V = initial speed (km/h)
t = perception/reaction time (seconds)
f = AASHTO stopping friction coefficient
G = roadway grade

Crest Vertical Curves Crest Vertical Curves

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Apart from appearance, sight distance is the main

design consideration for crest curves.
Minimum stopping sight distance (corresponding to the
design speed) must be maintained
Length of vertical curve depends on:
length of sight distance to be provided, and
change of grade to be accommodated.
2 cases for calculating crest vertical curve length Source: Mannering, F.L., Kilareski, W.P. and Washburn, S.S, Principles of Highway
Engineering and Traffic Analysis, 3rd. Ed., Wiley,United States of America, 2005
Sight distance less than length of vertical curve
Sight distance greater than length of vertical curve

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KNS 3493 Highway Engineering

Stopping Sight Distance (SSD) Measuring SSD

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h1
L h2

Sight Distance > Curve Length

h1
h2
L

Sight Distance < Curve Length

Measuring SSD Sight Distance on Crest Vertical Curve

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AS 2
For S L L

200 h1 h2
2

For S L L 2S

200 h1 h2
2

A
where :
L minimum length of curve in m,
S sight distance in m,
A grade change in %,
h1 height of eye above roadway surface in m,
h2 object height in m.
For the stopping sight distance, h1 = 1.1 m and h2 = 0.15 m.

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KNS 3493 Highway Engineering

Stopping Sight Distance Consideration K Values (REAM)

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Example: Minimum Length of Crest

Vertical Curve Solution

Determine SSD

A crest vertical curve is to be designed to join a +3 % grade with a -3 %

grade at a section of a two lane highway. Determine the minimum length
of the curve if the design speed of the highway is 100 km/hr and S < L.

Assume that f = 0.29 and PRT = 2.5 sec Obtain minimum length of the vertical curve
S < L,

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KNS 3493 Highway Engineering

Example: Minimum Safe Speed on a Crest Vertical

Curve Solution

An existing vertical curve on a highway joins a +4 % grade First determine the stopping sight distance (SSD) using the length of the curve
with a -4 % grade.

If the length of the curve is 100 m, what is the maximum safe Now determine the maximum safe speed for this SSD
speed on the curve. SSD =

Assume f=0.4 and PRT = 2.5 sec. Also S < L.

(Technically 55.2, but round to nearest speed limit in 5 km/h increments)

Example: Design of a Crest Vertical Curve Solution

Stopping Sight distance

A crest vertical curve joining a +4 % and -3 % grade is designed for 120
km/h. If the tangents intersect at metric station 200 + 50.00 and at an
elevation of 150 meters. Determine the stations and elevations for the PVI
and PVT. Also calculate the elevations of intermediate points on the curve
at the whole stations. Length of Curve
S < L,
Assume, f=0.28

Station of PVC = (200+50.00) - (16+32.70)/2=200+50.00 - 8+16.35 = 192+33.65

Station of PVT =(192+33.65+ (16+32.70) = 208+66.35

Elevation of PVC = PVIy-(G*L/2)=150 - (0.04*0.5*1632.7) = 117.34 m

Elevation of PVC = PVIy-(G*L/2)=150 - (0.03*0.5*1632.7) = 125.51 m

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KNS 3493 Highway Engineering

Sag Vertical Curves Sag Vertical Curves

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The selection of the minimum length of a sag vertical

curve is controlled by:
sight distance provided by the headlight (at night)

rider comfort

control of drainage

general appearance

Sag Vertical Curves Sag Vertical Curves

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For S < L,

For S > L,

Assuming H = 0.6 m, headlight height; and a = 1,

upward divergence of the light beam,
AS 2
For S < L, L
120 3.5S
120 35
.S
For S > L, L 2S
A

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KNS 3493 Highway Engineering

K Values (REAM)
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Questions ????

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