Vertical Alignment Lectures
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Ahmed AlmayaliVertical Alignment Lectures
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Ahmed AlmayaliLecture 7: Vertical Alignment
Lecture outline
• Vertical curves.
• Maximum grades.
• Critical length for upgrade.
• Minimum length of crest vertical curve .
• Minimum length of sag vertical curve
Vertical Curves
Maximum Grades
Highway type
Type of terrain
Freeways Rural hwg Urban hwg
Level 3–4 3–5 5–8
Rolling 4–5 5–6 6–9
Mountainous 5–6 5–8 8–11
Maximum grades have been established
based on the operating characteristics of the
design vehicle on the highway and the design
speed. These vary from 5% for design speed
of 110 km/h to (7-12) for design speed of
50 km/h. on the other hand, it may be
necessary to provide climbing lanes on steep
grades when the percentage of heavy
vehicles and recreational vehicles is high.
Critical Lengths of Grades for Design:
Maximum grade itself is not a complete design control. It is also appropriate
to consider the length of a particular grade in relation to describe vehicle
operation. The term “Critical length of grade” is used to indicate the
maximum length of a designated upgrade on which a loaded truck can
operate without an unreasonable reduction in speeds.
Minimum length of crest vertical curve:
In most cases, sight distance or appearance standards will govern for
highways. The equations used to calculate minimum lengths of vertical curves
based on sight distance depend on whether the sight distance is greater than
or less than the vertical curve length. For crest vertical curves, the minimum
length depends on the sight distance, the height of the driver’s eye, and the
height of the object to be seen over the crest of the curve, as illustrated in the
Figure below.
When the height of eye and the height of object are 1080 mm and 600 mm,
respectively, as used for stopping sight distance, the equations become:
K is the length of the vertical curve per percent change in A
Vertical curves of Al-Shamali Garage
Interchange
1. Safety criteria
2. Passenger comfort criteria
3. General appearance criteria
For general appearance of sag vertical curves:
L=30 A (m)
4. Drainage criteria
For drainage criteria:
Max. L=51 A
Minimum vertical clearance is 5.20 m according to Highway Design Manual (2005)
Symmetrical Vertical Curve equation
Vertical tangents with different grades are joined by vertical curves such as the one shown in
Figure below where:
P.I: Point of intersection of tangent
g1 or G1 Percent of grade of first tangent
g2 or G2 Percent of grade of second tangent
PVC: Point of vertical curvature
PVT: Point of vertical tangency
L: The horizontal view of length of curve (station)
Vertical curves are normally parabolas centered about the point of intersection (P.I.) of the vertical
tangents they join. Vertical curves are thus of the form :
rx 2
Elev( x) Elev( pvc) g 1 x
2
Where: Elev(x) :- elevation of a point on the curve
Elev(pvc) :- elevation of the PVC
g1:- grade just prior to the curve
x :- horizontal distance from the PVC or PVT to the point on the curve
(station)
r :- rate of change of grade (% per stat.)
g 2 g1
The rate of change of grade, in turn, is given by: r
L
dy
g1 rx 0
dx
XT = - g1/r is location of highest or lowest point on curve
Mid offset (e)
y=1/2 r x2 at x=L/2 , A=│g2-g1│
e= AL/8 ( in meter unit)
A= Algebraic difference in grade ,%
Example: A -2.5% grade is connected to a +1.0% grade by means of a 180
m vertical curve. The P.I. station is 100 + 00 and the P.I. elevation is 100.0
m above sea level What are:
1. The station and elevation of PVC,
2. The station and elevation of PVT,
3. The station and elevation of the lowest point on the vertical curve?
Solution:
Station of PVC = (100 + 00) - (0 + 90) = 99 + 10
Elevation of PVC: Elev (pvc)= 100.0 m + (-0.9 sta)(-2.5% ) = 102.25 m
Station of PVT = (100 + 00) + (1 + 80) = 101 + 80
Elevation of PVT: Elev (pvc)= 100.0 m + (0.9 sta)(1% ) = 100.9 m
Station and elevation of the low point:
At low point, g = 0
g = g1 + rx = 0
or:
Rate of change of grade:
g 2 g1 1.0% (2.5%)
r 1.944% / sta
L 1.8sta
g1 (2.5)
xT ( ) 1.29 1 29sta.
r 1.944
Station of low point = (99 + 10) + (1 + 29) = 100 + 39
rx 2
Elev( x) Elev( pvc) g1 x
2
2
= 102.25 m + (-2.5%) (1.29 sta) + (1.944% sta)(1.29sta)
2
= 100.64 m
Application: During the design of a sag vertical curve with g1 = -4.0% and g2 =
3.5%, there is a sewer pipe beneath the highway pavement at station 33+50 and
elevation of 12.5m as per the map of the utility pipes. The station and elevation of
PVI equal 32+00 and 12m, respectively. Compute the required sag length (L) to
make the vertical curve alignment passes over the pipe with 1.5m clearance?
