Vertical Curve Design

TTE 4004
Prof. Scott Washburn

1
 Vertical Curve Profile Views

Fig. 3.3

2
 Notation
 Curve point naming is similar to horizontal
curves, with addition of V for vertical
 PVC: Point of Vertical Curvature
 PVI: Point of Vertical Intersection
(of initial and final tangents)
 PVT: Point of Vertical Tangency
 Curve positioning and length usually
referenced in stations
 Stations represent 1000 m or 100 ft
 e.g., 1258.5 ft  12 + 58.5
(i.e., 12 stations & 58.5 ft)

3
Notation (cont.)
 G1 is initial roadway grade
 Also referred to as initial tangent grade
 G2 is final roadway (tangent) grade
 A is the absolute value of the difference in
grades (generally expressed in percent)
 A = |G2 – G1|
 L is the length of the vertical curve measured
in a horizontal plane (not along curve center
line, like horizontal curves)

4
 Fundamentals
 Parabolic curves are generally used for design
 Parabolic function  y = ax 2 + bx + c
y = roadway elevation
x = distance from PVC
c = elevation of PVC
 Also usually design for equal-length tangents
 i.e., half of curve length is before PVI and half after

5
First Derivative of Function
 First derivative gives slope

dy

 2ax  b
dx
dy
 At PVC, x = 0, so b   G1 , by definition
dx

 G1 is initial slope (in ft/ft or m/m) as

previously defined

6
 Second Derivative of Function
 Second derivative gives rate of change of
slope 2
d y
2
 2a
dx
 However, the average rate of change of
slope, by observation, can also be written as
d 2 y G2  G1 
2

dx L

a
G2  G1 
 Thus,
2L
7
 Offsets
 Offsets are vertical distances from initial
tangent to the curve

Fig. 3.4

8
 Offset Formulas
 For an equal tangent parabola,
A 2
Y x
200 L
 Y = offset (in m or ft) at any distance, x, from
the PVC
 A and L are as previously defined
 It follows from the figure that,
AL
Ym  offset at the curve midpoint
800
AL
Yf  offset at the end the curve
200 9
 ‘K’ Values
 The rate of change of grade at successive
points on the curve is a constant amount for
equal increments of horizontal distance, and
 Equals the algebraic difference between
intersecting tangent grades divided by the
length of curve, or A/L in percent per ft (m)
 The reciprocal L/A is the horizontal distance
required to effect a 1% change in gradient
and is, therefore, a measure of curvature
 The quantity L/A is termed ‘K’

10
 ‘K’ Values (cont.)
 The K-value can be used directly to compute
the high/low points for crest/sag vertical
curves (provided the high/low point is not at
a curve end) by,
 xhl = K  |G1|
 Where x = distance from the PVC to the high/low
point
 Additionally, K-values have important
applications in the design of vertical curves,
which we will see shortly

11
 Chapter Problem 3.1

 A 1600-ft-long sag vertical curve (equal

tangent) has a PVC at station 120+00
and elevation 1500 ft. The initial grade
is –3.5% and the final grade is +6.5%.

Determine the elevation and stationing

of the low point, PVI, and PVT.

12
SSD and Curve Design
 It is necessary, when designing vertical
curves, to provide adequate stopping-
sight distance (SSD)

 Because curve construction is

expensive, we want to minimize curve
length, subject to adequate SSD

13
SSD and Curve Design
 SSD formulation was given in Chapter 2,
i.e., ds = d + dr (Eq. 2.50)
 It is repeated in Chapter 3 as Eq. 3.12
V12
SSD   V1  tr
 a  
2 g     G 
 g  
 Table 3.1 gives SSD values in 5 mi/h (10
km/h) increments based on this equation
and using AASHTO values of a = 11.2 ft/s2
and tr = 2.5 sec 14
SSD and Crest
Vertical Curve Design

15
 SSD Factors
 Two different factors are important for
crest curves
 The driver’s eye height in vehicle, H1
 Height of a roadway obstruction object, H2
Fig. 3.6

16
 Minimum Curve Length
 By using the properties of a parabola
for an equal tangent curve, it can be
shown that the minimum length of
curve, Lm, for a required SSD is

A  SSD2
Lm  for SSD  L
Eq. 3.13

200 H1  H 2 
2

Eq. 3.14 Lm  2  SSD 


200 H1  H 2 
2

for SSD  L
A

17
 Minimum Curve Length
 For the sight distance required to provide
adequate SSD, current AASHTO design
standards use the following specifications:

 H1 (driver’s eye height) = 3.5 ft (1080 mm)

 H2 (object height) = 2.0 ft (600 mm)

18
 Minimum Curve Length
 Substituting these values into previous two
equations yields:
US Customary Metric
For SSD < L
A  SSD2 A  SSD2
Lm  Lm  (3.15)
2158 658

For SSD > L

2158 658
Lm  2  SSD  Lm  2  SSD  (3.16)
A A

 Since using these equations can be cumbersome,

tables have been developed, utilizing K=L/A
(discussed earlier)
19
 Example Problem 3.5
 A highway is being designed to AASHTO
guidelines with a 70-mph design speed
and, at one section, an equal tangent
vertical curve must be designed to
connect grades of +1.0% and –2.0%.

Determine the minimum length of

vertical curve necessary to meet SSD
requirements.

20
 Example Problem 3.5
Eq. 3.15, SSD < L

A  SSD 3  730
2 2
Lm    740.82 ft
2158 2158

740.82 > 730, so assumption about SSD < L is OK

21
 K Values for Adequate SSD
Design Controls for Crest Vertical Curves Based on SSD
US Customary Metric
Stopping Rate of vertical Stopping Rate of vertical
Design a Design
sight curvature, K sight curvature, Ka
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
3.2 20
25
115
155
6.1
11.1
7
12
30
40
35
50
1.9
3.8
2
4
30 200 18.5 19 50 65 6.4 7
35 250 29.0 29 60 85 11.0 11
40 305 43.1 44 70 105 16.8 17
45 360 60.1 61 80 130 25.7 26
50 425 83.7 84 90 160 38.9 39
55 495 113.5 114 100 185 52.0 52
60 570 150.6 151 110 220 73.6 74
65 645 192.8 193 120 250 95.0 95
70 730 246.9 247 130 285 123.4 124
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.
22
Notes about K-values Table
 In this table, K values assume G=0 for
SSD calculations
 If specific grade needs to be accounted
for, SSD should be computed directly
 On downgrades, for which more
stopping distance is required, more
sight distance is generally available
 On upgrades, for which less sight
distance is available, less stopping
distance is required
23
Example Problem 3.6
 Solve Example Problem 3.5 using the
K-values in Table 3.2.

L  KA
 247  3
 741 .0

24
SSD and Sag
Vertical Curve Design

25
Sag Curve Design Factors
 Since SSD is unrestricted on sag curves during
daylight hours, nighttime conditions govern design

 Thus, the critical concern for sag curves is the

headlight sight distance (i.e., the length of road
illuminated by the vehicle’s headlights),

 Which is a function of the height of the headlight

above the roadway, H, and the inclined upward angle
of the headlight beam, relative to the horizontal
plane of the car, b

26
 Sag Curve (Profile View)

Fig. 3.7

27
 Minimum Curve Length
 Like crest curves, we need expressions
for determining the minimum length of
crest curve required for adequate SSD

A  SSD2
Eq. 3.19 Lm  for SSD  L
200H  SSD tan b 

200H  SSD tan b 

Eq. 3.20 Lm  2  SSD  for SSD  L
A

28
Minimum Curve Length
 For the sight distance required to provide
adequate SSD, current AASHTO design
standards use the following specifications:
 H (headlight height) = 2.0 ft (600 mm)
 b (headlight angle) = 1°

29
 Minimum Curve Length
• Substituting these values into the previous two
equations yields:
US Customary Metric
For SSD < L
A  SSD2 A  SSD 2
Lm  Lm  (3.21)
400 + 3.5  SSD 120 + 3.5  SSD

For SSD > L

400 + 3.5  SSD 120 + 3.5  SSD
Lm  2  SSD  Lm  2  SSD  (3.22)
A A

 If not sure which equation to use, assume

SSD < L first (for either sag or crest curves)
30
 K Values for Adequate SSD
Design Controls for Sag Vertical Curves Based on SSD
US Customary Metric
Stopping Rate of vertical Stopping Rate of vertical
Design Design
sight curvature, Ka sight curvature, Ka
speed speed
distance distance
(mi/h) Calculated Design (km/h) Calculated Design
(ft) (m)
15 80 9.4 10 20 20 2.1 3
Table 20
25
115
155
16.5
25.5
17
26
30
40
35
50
5.1
8.5
6
9
3.3 30 200 36.4 37 50 65 12.2 13
35 250 49.0 49 60 85 17.3 18
40 305 63.4 64 70 105 22.6 23
45 360 78.1 79 80 130 29.4 30
50 425 95.7 96 90 160 37.6 38
55 495 114.9 115 100 185 44.6 45
60 570 135.7 136 110 220 54.4 55
65 645 156.5 157 120 250 62.8 63
70 730 180.3 181 130 285 72.7 73
75 820 205.6 206
80 910 231.0 231
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.
31
Passing Sight Distance
 Read Section 3.3.5

32
Underpass Sight Distance (3.3.6)
 A structure passing over a sag curve
may block a driver’s line-of-sight over
the full length of the curve.

33
 Underpass Sight Distance

Fig. 3.11 34
 Underpass Sight Distance

S = sight distance in ft (m),

A = algebraic difference in grades in percent,
H1 = height of driver’s eye in ft (m),
H2 = height of object in ft (m),
Hc = clearance height of overpass structure above roadway in ft (m),
PVC = point of the vertical curve (the initial point of the curve),
PVT = point of vertical tangent (the final point of the curve),
G1 = initial roadway grade in percent or ft/ft (m/m),
G2 = final roadway grade in percent or ft/ft (m/m), and
L = length of the curve in ft (m).

35
Underpass Sight Distance
 Again, from properties of parabola for equal-tangent
curve, we can derive the following formulas

 For S < L
AS 2
Lm  Eq. 3.27
  H  H2 
800 H c   1 
  2 

 For S > L
  H  H2 
800 H c   1 
Lm  2 S    2  Eq. 3.28
A

36
37
 Example Problem 3.1
 A 600-ft equal tangent sag curve has
the PVC at station 170+00 and
elevation 1000 ft. The initial grade is
–3.5% and the final grade is 0.5%.

Determine the elevation and stationing

of the PVI, PVT, and the lowest point
on the curve.

38
 Example Problem 3.1
 Solve for low point using K-value

L 600
K   150
A 4
xhl  K  G1  150  3.5  525 ft (or 5.25 sta)

39
Example Problem 3.8
 An existing tunnel needs to be connected to a newly
constructed bridge with sag and crest vertical curves. The
profile view of the tunnel and bridge is shown in Fig. 3.8.
Develop a vertical alignment to connect the tunnel and bridge
by determining the highest possible common design speed for
the sag and crest (equal tangent) vertical curves needed.
Compute the stationing and elevations of PVC, PVI, and PVT
curve points.

40
Assignment Problem 3.9
 Two level sections of an east-west highway (G = 0),
are to be connected. Currently, the two sections of
highway are separated by a 4000-ft (horizontal
distance), 2% grade. The westernmost section of
highway is the higher of the two and is at elevation
100 ft. If the highway has a 60-mi/h design speed,
determine, for the crest and sag vertical curves
required, the stationing and elevation of the PVCs
and PVTs given that the PVC of the crest curve (on
the westernmost level highway section) is at station
0 + 00 and elevation 100 ft. In solving this problem,
assume that the curve PVIs are at the intersection of
G = 0 and the 2 percent grade, i.e., A = 2.
41