General Note SE PDF

A GENERAL NOTE ON
SUPERELEVATION DEVELOPMENT
AS PER RDA SPECIFICATIONS
Eng. Suneth Thushara Salawavidana

BSc.Eng (Hon’s), AC (IT), AMIE (SL),
Design Engineer,
Highway Designs Division,
Road Development Authority
A General Note on Superelevation Development as per RDA Specifications
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 ABBREVIATIONS USED ..................................................................................................... 1
2 SIMPLE CURVE .......................................................................................................................... 2
2.1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................. 2
2.2 END NORMAL CROWN ...................................................................................................... 2
2.3 REVERSE CROWN............................................................................................................... 3
2.4 BEGIN FULL SUPER............................................................................................................ 3
2.5 END FULL SUPER................................................................................................................ 3
2.6 REVERSE CROWN............................................................................................................... 3
2.7 BEGIN NORMAL CROWN................................................................................................... 4
2.8 CRITICAL POINTS SUMMARY .......................................................................................... 4
3 REVERSE CURVES..................................................................................................................... 5
3.1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................. 5
3.2 LEVEL CROWN ................................................................................................................... 6
3.3 END FULL SUPER................................................................................................................ 6
3.4 BEGIN FULL SUPER............................................................................................................ 6
4 CLOSELY SPACED REVERSE CURVES.................................................................................. 7
4.1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................. 7
4.2 LEVEL CROWN ................................................................................................................... 8
4.3 END FULL SUPER................................................................................................................ 8
4.4 BEGIN FULL SUPER............................................................................................................ 8
5 COMPOUND CURVES AND CLOSELY SPACED COMPOUND CURVES.......................... 10
5.1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................ 10
5.2 END FULL SUPER.............................................................................................................. 11
5.3 BEGIN FULL SUPER.......................................................................................................... 12
5.4 CRITICAL POINTS SUMMARY ........................................................................................ 12
i
Prepared by Eng. Suneth Thushara Salawavidana, BSc.Eng (Hon’s), AC (IT), AMIE (SL)
Design Engineer, Road Development Authority, Battaramulla
LIST OF FIGURES
FIG. 2.1 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM FOR THE SIMPLE CURVE ............................................................................. 2

FIG. 3.1 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM FOR THE REVERSE CURVE PHENOMENON .................................................... 5
FIG. 4.1 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM FOR THE CLOSELY SPACED REVERSE CURVE PHENOMENON ......................... 7
FIG. 5.1 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM FOR THE COMPOUND CURVE PHENOMENON (E1>E2)................................... 10
FIG. 5.2 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM FOR THE COMPOUND CURVE PHENOMENON (E1<E2)................................... 11
ii
PREFACE
Superelevation development, as far as myself being considered has been the most
difficult part of highway design. Geometrical Design Standards of Roads of Road
Development Authority, 1998, the Bible of highway design in Sri Lanka provides the
basics of superelevation development but does not go to derive the equations for each of
the cases.
The glorious highway design software of AutoDesk Inc, Civil 3D, does not provide an
XML sheet for superelevation development as per RDA standards. So it was our task to
derive these equations for the difficult road sections we had for our professional review
examination with help of our seniors, which were later incorporated into the Excel sheet
currently used in highway design division.
This booklet contains the derivation of all the critical points for all the curve types
currently used in highway design division of RDA.
Any comment is highly appreciated.
Eng. Suneth Thushara Salawavidana

Design Engineer
Highway Design Division
Road Development Authority
Battaramulla.
31.02.2010
iii
1 INTRODUCTION
Super elevation is tilting the roadway to help offset centripetal forces which are
developing as the vehicle goes around a curve. Along with friction, they are the forces
that keep a vehicle from going off the road.
This booklet aims to derive some of the equations that are necessary to develop
superelevation in different curves.
1.1 ABBREVIATIONS USED
Abbreviation Full text

BFS Begin full super
BNC Begin normal crown
CT Curve tangent point
CTP Common tangent point
e1 Degree of superelevation of first curve
e2 Degree of superelevation of second curve
EFS End full super
ENC End normal crown
LC Level crown
Length of superelevation development of
Le1 the first curve
Length of superelevation development of
Le2 the second curve
LHS Left hand side of roadway
n Normal crown (=2.5%)
RC Reverse crown
RHS Right hand side of roadway
TC tangent to curve point
1
2 SIMPLE CURVE
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Simple curves are those isolated curves encountered in highways. They do not get any
influence from the other curves because they are far away from other curves’ vicinity.
The schematic diagram of a simple curve is shown below.
Fig. 2.1 Schematic Diagram for the Simple Curve
2.2 END NORMAL CROWN
By definition;
2
ENC TC Le
3
2
2.3 REVERSE CROWN
Considering Fig. 2.1,
ABC ECD
Therefore,
BFS RC (e n )
Le ( e n)
(e n )
RC BFS Le
(e n )
But, something worth to note here is that if the e 2.5, then RC=BFS. That means in such
an instance, this point does not exist in reality.
2.4 BEGIN FULL SUPER
By definition;
1
BFS TC Le
3
2.5 END FULL SUPER
By definition;
1
EFS CT Le
3
2.6 REVERSE CROWN
Considering Fig. 2.1,
FGH HJI
3
Therefore,
RC EFS (e n )
Le ( e n)
(e n )
RC EFS Le
(e n )
But, something worth to note here is that if the e 2.5, then RC=BFS. That means in such
an instance, this point does not exist in reality.
2.7 BEGIN NORMAL CROWN
By definition;
2
BNC CT Le
3
2.8 CRITICAL POINTS SUMMARY
Critical Point Conditions Value

End Normal Crown - 2
ENC TC Le
3
Reverse Crown e > 2.5 (e n )
RC BFS Le
(e n )
e = 2.5 Does not exist
Begin Full Super - 1
BFS TC Le
3
End Full Super - 1
EFS CT Le
3
Reverse Crown e > 2.5 (e n )
RC EFS Le
(e n )
e = 2.5 Does not exist
Begin Normal Crown - 2
BNC CT Le
3
4
3 REVERSE CURVES
3.1 INTRODUCTION
Reverse curves consist of adjacent curves with a common tangent point but not
unidirectional. The schematic diagram of two such curves is shown below.
Fig. 3.1 Schematic Diagram for the Reverse Curve Phenomenon
5
3.2 LEVEL CROWN
In such a curve, the first thing as regard to superelevation development is to find the
Level Crown. But in this case the Level Crown is just the common tangent point.
By definition;
LC CTP
3.3 END FULL SUPER
By definition;
e1
EFS LC * Le1
(e1 n)
By definition;
e2
BFS LC * Le2
(e 2 n)

End Full Super - e1
EFS LC * Le1
(e1 n)
Level Crown - LC CTP
Begin Full Super - e2

BFS LC * Le2
(e 2 n)
6
4 CLOSELY SPACED REVERSE CURVES
4.1 INTRODUCTION
Closely spaced reverse curves are two adjacent curves with a closely spaced tangent point
but not unidirectional. The distance between the CT point of the first curve and TC point
of the second curve should be lesser than 0.7 x (Le1 + Le2).
The schematic diagram of two such curves is shown below.
Fig. 4.1 Schematic Diagram for the Closely Spaced Reverse Curve Phenomenon
7
4.2 LEVEL CROWN
Here the Level Crown comes inside the common tangent. The first thing in such a curve
is to find this Level Crown. The Level Crown is taken as that point which divides the
tangent length to e1: e2 proportions.
So, the Level crown can be expressed in two equations.
e1
LC CT1 (TC 2 CT1 )
(e1 e2 )
Or
e2
LC TC 2 (TC 2 CT1 )
(e1 e2 )
4.3 END FULL SUPER
By definition;
e1
EFS LC * Le1
(e1 n)
By definition;
e2
BFS LC * Le2
(e 2 n)
8

End Full Super - e1
EFS LC * Le1
(e1 n)
Level Crown - e1
LC CT1 (TC 2 CT1 )
(e1 e2 )
Or
e2
LC TC 2 (TC 2 CT1 )
(e1 e2 )
Begin Full Super - e2

BFS LC * Le2
(e 2 n)
9
5 COMPOUND CURVES AND CLOSELY SPACED

COMPOUND CURVES
5.1 INTRODUCTION
Compound curves are the curves which are same in direction and have the same point as
the end point of the first curve and the beginning point of the next curve. There are 3
instances that need to be considered in this scenario.
e1 e2
e1 e2
e1 e2
However, it is obvious that in the first case, e1 e2 , the two curves behave identically as a
simple curve. So the same theory used in simple curve is adopted. Other two scenarios
are described below.
A schematic diagram of two compound curves is given below for the situation e1 e2
Fig. 5.1 Schematic Diagram for the Compound Curve Phenomenon (e1>e2)
10
A schematic diagram of two compound curves is given below for the situation e1 e2
Fig. 5.2 Schematic Diagram for the Compound Curve Phenomenon (e1<e2)
Closely spaced compound curves are two consecutive curves which are same in direction
but do not have a common tangent point. The distance between the CT point of the first
curve and TC point of the second curve should be lesser than 0.7 x (Le1 + Le2). The same
theory applies for both compound curves and closely spaced compound curves.
5.2 END FULL SUPER
Case 1 e1>e2
By Definition;
e1 (e1 e2 )
EFS CTP Le1
(e1 e2 ) (e1 n)
11
Case 2 e1<e2
By Definition;
e1 (e2 e1 )
EFS CTP Le2
(e1 e2 ) (e 2 n )
Case 1 e1>e2
By Definition;
e2 (e1 e2 )
BFS CTP Le1
(e1 e2 ) (e1 n)
Case 2 e1<e2
By Definition;
e2 (e2 e1 )
BFS CTP Le2
(e1 e2 ) (e 2 n )

End Full Super e1>e2 e1 (e1 e2 )
EFS CTP Le1
(e1 e2 ) (e1 n)
e1<e2 e1 (e2 e1 )
EFS CTP Le2
(e1 e2 ) (e 2 n )
Begin Full Super e1>e2 e2 (e1 e2 )
BFS CTP Le1
(e1 e2 ) (e1 n)
e1<e2 e2 (e2 e1 )
BFS CTP Le2
(e1 e2 ) (e 2 n )
12

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A GENERAL NOTE ON

Eng. Suneth Thushara Salawavidana

FIG. 2.1 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM FOR THE SIMPLE CURVE ............................................................................. 2

Any comment is highly appreciated.

Eng. Suneth Thushara Salawavidana

1.1 ABBREVIATIONS USED

Abbreviation Full text

Fig. 2.1 Schematic Diagram for the Simple Curve

2.2 END NORMAL CROWN

2.3 REVERSE CROWN

Considering Fig. 2.1,

2.4 BEGIN FULL SUPER

2.5 END FULL SUPER

2.6 REVERSE CROWN

Considering Fig. 2.1,

2.7 BEGIN NORMAL CROWN

2.8 CRITICAL POINTS SUMMARY

Critical Point Conditions Value

Fig. 3.1 Schematic Diagram for the Reverse Curve Phenomenon

3.2 LEVEL CROWN

3.3 END FULL SUPER

3.4 BEGIN FULL SUPER

3.5 CRITICAL POINTS SUMMARY

Critical Point Conditions Value

Level Crown - LC CTP

Begin Full Super - e2

4 CLOSELY SPACED REVERSE CURVES

The schematic diagram of two such curves is shown below.

4.2 LEVEL CROWN

So, the Level crown can be expressed in two equations.

4.3 END FULL SUPER

4.4 BEGIN FULL SUPER

4.5 CRITICAL POINTS SUMMARY

Critical Point Conditions Value

Begin Full Super - e2

5 COMPOUND CURVES AND CLOSELY SPACED

5.2 END FULL SUPER

5.3 BEGIN FULL SUPER

5.4 CRITICAL POINTS SUMMARY

Critical Point Conditions Value

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