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Earthwork and Vertical Curve Example Problems

This document contains information and calculations for four engineering problems related to road design and construction. Problem 1 calculates the amount of fill earthwork needed between two stations based on cut and fill data provided. Problem 2 finds the station and elevation of the low point of a sag vertical curve given curve parameters. Problem 3 calculates the maximum length of a vertical curve to ensure adequate clearance of an overhead cable. Problem 4 determines if the calculated curve length is appropriate for design stopping sight distance requirements based on the road's design speed.

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2K views

Earthwork and Vertical Curve Example Problems

This document contains information and calculations for four engineering problems related to road design and construction. Problem 1 calculates the amount of fill earthwork needed between two stations based on cut and fill data provided. Problem 2 finds the station and elevation of the low point of a sag vertical curve given curve parameters. Problem 3 calculates the maximum length of a vertical curve to ensure adequate clearance of an overhead cable. Problem 4 determines if the calculated curve length is appropriate for design stopping sight distance requirements based on the road's design speed.

Uploaded by

Kevin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Problem 1:

1a. The cross section at Station 12 + 00 shows 148 ft 2 of cut cross sectional area and 120 ft 2 of fill cross-
sectional area. The cross section at 13 + 00 shows 112 ft 2 of cut and 190 ft2 of fill. Note: no data for
Station 12 + 50 is available.

a) How much fill earthwork will be done between the two stations?

b) Please draw a sketch of what the cross section of Station 13 + 00 might look like.

Given:

a. Station 12+00 = 148 sf of cut and 120 sf of fill

Station 13+00 shows 112 sf of cut and 190 sf of fill

No data for Station 12+50

Solution:

Area 1+ Area 2 Length 120+190 100


Volume ( CY )= × = × =574 CY =575 CY of fill
2 27 2 27

b. Station 13+00 has more fill than cut. This means that the proposed road will be above the
natural grade. Thus a typical cross-section of Station 13+00 might look like:

Centerline
2% Cross-Slope 12’ lane widths

Natural Grade

Problem 2:

A sag vertical curve with g1 = -3.668% and g2 = +4.179% meet at a PVI at Station 101 + 17.34 and
Elevation 275.61 feet. The curve length is 700.00 feet. Please find the station and elevation of the low
point on the curve.

Given:
g1 = -3.668%

g2 = +4.179%

PVI at Station 101 + 17.34

PVI elevation = 275.61 ft

Solution:

( 7002 )=Sta 97+67.34


PVC=( 10117.34 )−

700
PVC elev=275.61+ ( × 0.03668) =288.45 '
2
g1 L (−.03668 ) × 700 '
x m= = =327.21
g1−g2 (−.03668−0.04179 )

Low−Elevation Statio n=327.21+9767.34=Sta100+94.55

g 2−g1 2
Low Elevation=Y PVC + g 1 x + (x )
2L
0.04179+.03668
= 288.45+(−.03668× 327.21)+ ( 327.212 ) =¿ 282.45 = 282’
2 ×700

Problem 4:

4. For the tangents to a vertical curve shown below, the profile grade (the centerline elevation at the
surface of the pavement) must clear an aerial telephone cable located at STA 91 + 76.38 by 16 feet. The
bottom of the cable is at elevation 143.00 feet. What is the maximum length of vertical curve L that can
be used to ensure the cable has adequate vertical clearance?

Cable
PVT

PVC
G2 = +6.02%
G1 = -3.71%
PVI: STA 91 + 21.10
Elev. 121.58 ft

Elev. 121.58 ft.

b) If the design speed of the road is 30 mph, is that curve length appropriate for stopping sight
distance? Please show me how you arrive at your answer.

Given:

Sta 91+76.38 is where cable is located

Cable must be cleared by 16’

Bottom of the cable is elevation 143.00 ft

G1 = -3.71%

G2 = 6.02%

PVI STA = 91 + 21.10

Solution:

Z=9176.38−9121.10=55.28 '
A=0.0602+0.0371=0.0973

Elevation of Road at Critical Point=143.00−16=127'


Elevation of the tangent at the critical point =(−.0371× 55.28 ) +121.58=119.5291

Y ' =127−119.5291=7.470888 ft

Y ' 7.470888
W= = =76.78199'
A 0.0973
L=4 W −2 Z +4 (w 2−wZ)0.5
L=4 ( 76.78199 )−2 ( 55.28 ) +4 ¿ ¿

b)

According to Table 3-36 in the Green Book, for a 30 mph speed, the minimum stopping sight distance is
200’ for sag curves.

KA =L=359.09= ( 9.73 K ) → K=36.9

Table 3-36 tells us that the minimum required K value is 37 for DESIGN purposes for sag curves. Thus,
the curve length is NOT adequate for DESIGN purposes. Since the calculated minimum K value is 36.4
according to the table, there is at least an argument to be made for that case, but it is my understanding
that the design value supersedes the calculated minimum value. Incredibly close, but not adequate. Only
reason I carried decimal places out so far was because I knew how pencil-thin the answer would be to
the required value, and I didn’t to interject more error.

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