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Function

When the grade line intersects, there is a vertical change of

VERTICAL CURVES direction. To insure safe and comfortable travel, the surveyor
rounds off the intersection by inserting a vertical parabolic curve.

SYMMETRICAL & UNSYMMETRICAL PARABOLIC CURVES

Introduction Types of Vertical Curves

Factors to consider when designing a grade line of tangents and a) Sag curve – a down grade followed by an upgrade
curves: b) Crest/Summit Curve – an up grade followed by a down grade

1. Providing a good fit with the existing ground profile

2. Balancing the volume of cut material against fill
3. Maintaining adequate drainage
4. Not exceeding maximum specified grades
5. Meeting fixed elevations such as intersections with other roads

Types of Vertical Curves General Equation of a Parabolic Curve

c) Rising curve – an upgrade is followed by another upgrade The general equation of a parabolic curve is:
d) Falling Curve – a downgrade is followed by another downgrade 𝑦 = 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵𝑥 + 𝐶
𝑎𝑡 𝑥 = 0, 𝑦 = 𝐶
Differentiating
𝑑𝑦
= 2𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵
𝑑𝑥
𝑎𝑡 𝑥 = 0, 𝑦 = 𝐵
Which means B is the slope of the tangent at
origin
𝑑 𝑑𝑦
= 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
= 2𝐴 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡

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Equation of an Equal Tangent Vertical Parabolic

Curve
The equation of a parabola can now
be transformed to:
𝑦 = 𝐴𝑥 + 𝑔 𝑥 + 𝑦
𝑎𝑠 𝑔 = 𝐵 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶 = 𝑦
With
𝑔 −𝑔
𝐴=
2𝐿
Thus,
𝒈𝟐 − 𝒈𝟏 𝟐
𝒚= 𝒙 + 𝒈𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒚𝑩𝑽𝑪
𝟐𝑳

Equation of an Equal Tangent Vertical Parabolic

Elements of Vertical Curve
Curve
The rate of change of grade, r, for an
equal-tangent parabolic curve equals
the total grade change from BVC to
EVC divided by length L,

𝑔 −𝑔
𝑟=
𝐿
Thus,
𝒓 𝟐
𝒚= 𝒙 + 𝒈𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒚𝑩𝑽𝑪
𝟐

Elements of Vertical Curve Computations

• PC – point of curvature, also known as BVC (beginning of vertical curve)
• PT – point of tangency, also known as EVC (end of vertical curve)
• PI – point of intersection of the tangents, also called PVI (point of vertical intersection)
• L – length of parabolic curve, horizontal distance between PC and PT
• S1 – horizontal distance from PC to the highest/lowest point of the curve
• S2 – horizontal distance from PT to the highest/lowest point of the curve
• h1 – vertical distance between PC and the highest/lowest point of the curve
• h2 – vertical distance between PT and the highest/lowest point of the curve
• g1 – grade (in percent) of back tangent (tangent through PC)
• g2 – grade (in percent) of the forward tangent (tangent through PT)
• H – vertical distance between PI and the curve
• Length of Curve. The length of the vertical curve is the
horizontal distance from PVC/BVC to PVT/EVC. Usually, the
curve extends L/2 stations on each side of the point of vertical
intersection and is most conveniently divided into full station
increments.
• Station Interval. Once the length of curve is determined, the
surveyor selects an appropriate station interval (SI). Since PVI
is the only fixed station, the next step is to compute the station
value of the PVC, PVT, and all stations on the curve.

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Computations Computations

• Tangent Elevations. Compute tangent elevations BVC, EVC, • Vertical Maximum. The parabola bisects a line joining the PVI
and all stations along the curve. and the midpoint of the chord drawn between the PVC and PVT.
Line VE = DE and is referred to as the vertical maximum Vm (H).
𝑳
𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗. 𝑩𝑽𝑪 = 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗. 𝑷𝑽𝑰 ± 𝒈𝟏
𝟐
𝑳
𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗. 𝑬𝑽𝑪 = 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗. 𝑷𝑽𝑰 ± 𝒈𝟐
𝟐

Computations Computations

• Vertical Maximum. Vm or H • Vertical Offset. The value of the vertical offset is the vertical
distance between the tangent line and the road grade.
𝑳
𝑯= 𝒈 − 𝒈𝟏 𝒚 𝑯
𝟖 𝟐 =
𝒙𝟐 𝑳 𝟐
𝟐
𝟏 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗. 𝑷𝑽𝑪 + 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗. 𝑷𝑽𝑻
𝑯= − 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗 𝑷𝑽𝑰 A parabolic curve presents a mirror image. This means that the
𝟐 𝟐
second half of the curve is identical to the first half, and the
offsets are the same for both sides of the curve.

Computations High or Low Point on a Vertical Curve

• Station Elevation. The elevation of the curve at any station is At the low or high point, a tangent to the curve will be horizontal
equal to the tangent elevation at that station plus or minus the and its slope equal to zero. Taking the derivative of the parabolic
vertical offset for that station. curve equation and setting it equal to zero, the derived formula
• First and second differences. The first differences are the will be:
𝒈𝟏 𝑳
differences in elevation between successive stations along the 𝑺𝟏 =
curve, namely, the elevation of the second station minus the 𝒈𝟐 − 𝒈𝟏
elevation of the first station, the elevation of the third station
minus the elevation of the second, and so on. If g2 is substituted in the numerator, distance X is measured back
The second differences are the differences in the first from the EVC.
differences. 𝒈𝟐 𝑳
𝑺𝟐 =
𝒈𝟐 − 𝒈𝟏

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Sample Problem 1

A grade 𝑔 of -3.629% intersects grade 𝑔 of 0.151% at a vertex

whose station and elevation are 5 + 265.000 and 350.520 m,
respectively. A equal tangent parabolic curve of 240 m length will
be used to join the tangents.

• Compute and tabulate the curve for staking at 40 m increments.

• Determine also the station and elevation of the curve’s
highest/lowest point.

Staking Out Vertical Curve

Sample Problem 2

A parabolic curve has a descending grade of -0.8% which meets

an ascending grade of 0.4% at station 10 + 020. The max
allowable change of grade per 20 m. station is 0.15. Elevation at
station 10 + 020 is 240.60 m.

a. What is the length of the curve?

b. Compute the elevation of the lowest point of the curve.
c. Compute the elevation at station 10 + 000.

Sample Problem 3

A symmetrical parabolic summit curve connects two grades of

+6% and -4%. It is to pass through a point “P”, the stationing of
which is 35 + 280 and the elevation is 198.133 m. If the elevation
of the grade intersection is 200 m with stationing 35 + 300.

a. Determine the length of the curve.

b. Determine the stationing and elevation of PC
c. Determine the stationing and elevation of PT

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Definition

An unequal-tangent vertical curve is simply a pair of equal-

tangent curves, where the EVC of the first curve is the BVC of the
second. This point is called CVC, point of compound vertical
curvature.

Computation Grade of the Common Tangent, g3

• To perform calculations for this type of curve, connect the • 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝐴 = 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝑃𝑉𝐼 − 𝑔
midpoints of the tangents for the two curves, to obtain line AB.
• 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝐵 = 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝑃𝑉𝐼 − 𝑔
• Point A is the vertex of the first curve and is located L1/2 back ∆𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝐴𝐵 = 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝐵 − 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝐴
from V. 𝐿 𝐿
= 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝑃𝑉𝐼 − 𝑔 2 − 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝑃𝑉𝐼 − 𝑔 2
• Point B is the vertex of the second curve which is L2/2 forward
from V.
𝐿 𝐿
• Calculate the grade of the common tangent AB by dividing the ∆𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝐴𝐵 = 𝑔 2−𝑔 2
difference in elevation between B and A by the distance in
stations separating these two points.
• 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝐴𝐵 = +

Grade of the Common Tangent, g3 Location of Highest/Lowest Point of the Curve

∆ .  When g1L1 < 2H, use S1
•𝑔 =

𝐿 𝐿 𝒈𝟏 𝑳𝟏 𝟐
𝑔 2−𝑔 2 𝑺𝟏 =
𝑔 = 𝟐𝑯
𝐿 𝐿
2 + 2
 When g1L1 > 2H, use S2
𝒈𝟏 𝑳𝟏 + 𝒈𝟐 𝑳𝟐
𝒈𝟑 = (𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙) 𝒈𝟐 𝑳𝟐 𝟐
𝑳𝟏 + 𝑳𝟐 𝑺𝟐 =
𝟐𝑯

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Sample Problem 1
A +4.00% grade meets a -2.00% grade at station 1+500 and
elevation 400 m. Length of 1st curve is 180 m and that of 2nd
curve is 120 m.
• Compute and tabulate full station elevations.
• Location of highest/lowest point
• Elevation of highest/lowest point
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Sample Problem 2
A -3.00% grade meets a +5.00% grade near an underpass. In order to
maintain the minimum clearance allowed under the bridge and at the same
time introduce a vertical transition curve in the grade line, it is necessary to
use a curve that lies 200 m on the back tangent and 100 m on the forward
tangent. The station at the beginning of the curve is 10 + 000 and elevation
of 228 m.
• Det. the elevation at 10 + 040
• If the uphill edge of the under side of the bridge is at station
10 + 220 and at elevation 229.206 m, what is the vertical clearance under the bridge at
this point?
• Determine the stationing of the lowest point of the curve