VERTICAL ALIGNMENT

An alignment is a space curve going in the middle of a carriageway. For the project
purpose we need two kinds of alignment:
- Horizontal alignment: that we draw into the map (plan)
- Vertical alignment: that we project in the form of longitudinal section.

The design of the vertical alignment is started after completing of the horizontal
alignment.
The design of vertical alignment consists of:
1. Drawing of terrain into the longitudinal section
2. Design of the vertical alignment by using vertical polygon (according to the same
principals as at the horizontal alignment fi minimal cuts and embankments = go with
the polygon sides along terrain)
3. Rounding polygon sides by vertical parabolic curves

 DRAWING OF TERRAIN INTO THE LONGITUDINAL SECTION

 DESIGN OF THE VERTICAL ALIGNMENT BY USING

VERTICAL POLYGON
Vertical polygon:

li - projection of the polygon sides into the horizontal plane

hi - elevation of the peaks of the polygon
h
si - longitudinal slope s i  i  100 [%],
li
 Pic.: Various combinations of the vertical polygon sides (s1, s2 = slopes of polygon sides)

Design speed in km/h for terrain

Road category flat hilly mountainous
Longitudinal slope (s) in %
D 33,5 120 120 100) 80)
R 27,5 3 4 ) 4,5 ) 4,5 )
R 33,5, R 27,5 120 100 80
R 25,5 3,5 4,5 5 )
100 80 70
S 24,5 )
3,5 4,5 (až 6 ) 6
90 80 70
S 20,75 )
4 4,5 (až 6 ) 6
90 80 70
S 11,5
4,5 6 7,5
S 9,5 80 70 60
4,5 6 8
70 60 50
S 7,5
4,5 7 9
60 60 50
S 6,5
7 8 9
40 40 30
S 4,0
10 11 12

Tab.: Designed speed according to the terrain and max. allowed longitudinal slopes p (%) of
the basic road categories according to ČSN 73 6101
 ROUNDING POLYGON SIDES BY VERTICAL PARABOLIC
CURVES
 For the rounding of the vertical polygon parabolic curves of the second degree should be
used.

VERTICAL PARABOLIC CURVE:

V – vertical point of intersection

ZZ, KZ – vertical point of tangency (or curvatory)
VZ – vertex of the curve
T – lenght of tangent
X1 ,X2 – horizontal distance of the vertex of curve from ZZ and KZ
ymax – vertical distance of the vertex of curve from point of intersection (V)

BASIC LAYOUT ELEMENTS OF THE VERTICAL PARABOLIC CURVE:

t2 s1 s2
T
R
 s 1  -  s 2  yn = x1 = R  x1 = R 
200 2R 100 100
 RADIUS OF VERTICAL PARABOLIC CURVE MOSTLY DEPENDS ON
DESIGN SPEED AND SIGHT DISTANCE (ACCORDING TO ČSN 736101 –
SEE FIGURES BELOW):
Vertical parabolic curves are either concave or convex.

The minimal values of the radii of the osculating circles for the parabolic curves are
derived both for convex and concave curves from the minimal necessary length for
stopping in front of an obstacle.
Otherwise the rule is: the greater curvature is better (sometimes radii of 100 000 m
or more are used on motorways).

Tab.: The minimal radii of osculating circles for parabolic convex curves according to
the ČSN 73 6101*
při návrhové rychlosti / směrodatné rychlosti v km/h
Ru v m
130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40
Minimal
values for 15 000 12 000 10 000 7 500 5 000 4 000 3 200 2 000 1 000 500
stopping
(car)
Minimal
values for - - - - 37 000 31 000 25 000 20 000 11 000 5 000
overtaking
)
Calculation is in ČSN 73 6101

Tab.: The minimal radii of osculating circles for parabolic concave curves according to
the ČSN 73 6101*
při návrhové rychlosti / směrodatné rychlosti v km/h
Ru v m
130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40
Minimal
allowed 7 000 6 000 5 000 4 200 3 500 2 800 2 000 1 500 1 200 1 000
values
Minimal
values 6 000 5 000 4 000 3 400 2 700 2 100 1 500 1 000 700 400
)
Calculation is in ČSN 73 6101
 VERTICAL TANGENT POLYGON WITH ROUNDED SUMMITS
AND SAGS:
To be able to design parabolic curves, the polygon sides must be long enough. We should
avoid straight sections between the curves with the same orientation. On the other hand there
must be a straight section between the curves with opposite direction (convex and concave),
otherwise there is a view deformation.

100 Vn2
Cp 
Rv
The recommended length of the straight is where Vn is designed speed and
Rv is radius of concave curve.

 SUMMARY
Some important factors to consider when designing for vertical alignment:
1. Longitudinal slope is mainly leading by type of terrain and design speed.
2. Minimum value of longitudinal slope is about 0,5 % (exceptionally 0,3 %)
3. Lengths of sides of the tangent polygon should be balanced. The lenghts should
correspond to the lenghts of vertical curves tangents.
4. Avoid vertical straight between two curves in the same direction.
5. Lenght of straith between two curves in the opposite direction should be at least:
100 Vn2
Cp = ,
Rv
6. Polygon sides breaks must be round by vertical parabolic (second degree) curves.
7. Parabolic curves have to agree with lenght of sight distance (minimal value of vertical
curve radius is derived from minimal sight distance).