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CE 453 Lecture 20
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Coordination of Vertical and
Horizontal Alignment
Curvature and grade should be in
proper balance
– Avoid
Excessive curvature to achieve flat
grades
Excessive grades to achieve flat
curvature
Vertical curvature should be
coordinated with horizontal
Sharp horizontal curvature should
not be introduced at or near the top
Image source:
http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt_labmanu
al/Chapters/geometricdesign/
theoryandconcepts/DescendingGrades.htm
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Coordination of Vertical and
Horizontal Alignment
On two-lane roads when passing is
allowed, need to consider provision of
passing lanes
– Difficult to accommodate with certain
arrangements of horizontal and vertical
curvature
– need long tangent sections to assure
sufficient passing sight distance
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Coordination of Vertical and
Horizontal Alignment
At intersections where sight distance needs
to be accommodated, both horizontal and
vertical curves should be as flat as practical
In residential areas, alignment should
minimize nuisance to neighborhood
– Depressed highways are less visible
– Depressed highways produce less noise
– Horizontal alignments can increase the buffer
zone between roadway and cluster of homes
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Coordination of Vertical and
Horizontal Alignment
When possible alignment should
enhance scenic views of the natural
and manmade environment
– Highway should lead into not away from
outstanding views
– Fall towards features of interest at low
elevation
– Rise towards features best seen from
below or in silhouette against the sky
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Coordination of Horizontal and
Vertical Alignment
Coordination of horizontal and vertical
alignment should begin with preliminary
design
Easier to make adjustments at this stage
Designer should study long, continuous
stretches of highway in both plan and
profile and visualize the whole in three
dimensions
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Coordination of Horizontal and
Vertical Alignment
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Coordination of Horizontal and
Vertical Alignment
Should be consistent with the
topography
Preserve developed properties along
the road
Incorporate community values
Follow natural contours of the land
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Good Coordination of Horizontal
and Vertical Alignment
Does not affect
aesthetic, scenic,
historic, and cultural
resources along the way
Enhances attractive
scenic views
– Rivers
– Rock formations
– Parks
– Historic sites
– Outstanding buildings
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Vertical Curves
Connect roadway grades (tangents)
Grade (rise over run)
– 10% grade increases 10’ vertically for
every 100’ horizontal
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Vertical Curves
Ascending grade:
– Frequency of
collisions increases
significantly when
vehicles traveling
more than 10 mph
below the average
traffic speed are
present in the
traffic stream
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Example
If a highway with
traffic normally
running at 65 mph has
an inclined section
with a 3% grade,
what is the maximum
length of grade that
can be used before
the speed of the
larger vehicles is
reduced to 55 mph?
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Example
a 3% grade
causes a
reduction in
speed of 10
mph after
1400 feet
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Climbing lanes
When flatter grades cannot be accommodated,
consider climbing lane when all 3 of the
following criteria are met (AASHTO):
– Upgrade traffic flow rate in excess of 200 vehicles
per hour.
– Upgrade truck flow rate in excess of 20 vehicles
per hour.
– One of the following conditions exists:
A 15 km/h or greater speed reduction is expected for a
typical heavy truck.
Level-of-service E or F exists on the grade.
A reduction of two or more levels of service is experienced
when moving from the approach segment to the grade.
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Descending Grades
Problem is increased speeds and loss of control
for heavy trucks
Runaway vehicle ramps are often designed and
included at critical locations along the grade
Ramps placed before each turn that cannot be
negotiated at runaway speeds
Ramps should also be placed along straight
stretches of roadway, wherever unreasonable
speeds might be obtained
Ramps located on the right side of the road when
possible
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Maximum Grades
Passenger vehicles can easily
negotiate 4 to 5% grade without
appreciable loss in speed
Upgrades: trucks average 7%
decrease in speed
Downgrades: trucks average speed
increase 5%
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Vertical Curves
Parabolic shape
VPI, VPC, VPT, +/- grade, L
Types of crest and sag curves
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Vertical cures
EXAMPLE 3.1 VERTICAL CURVE
STATIONS AND ELEVATIONS
A 600-ft equal-tangent sag vertical curve
has the PVC at station 170 + 00 and
elevation 1000 ft. The initial grade is -3.5%
and the final grade is +0.5%. Determine the
stationing and elevation of the PVI, the
PVT, and the lowest point on the curve.
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Cont..
SOLUTION
Since the curve is equal tangent, the PVI will be
300 ft or three stations (measured in a horizontal
plane) from the PVC, and the PVT will be 600 ft or
six stations from the PVC.
Therefore, the stationing of the PVI and PVT is
173 + 00 and 176 + 00, respectively. For the
elevations of the PVI and PVT, it is known that a -
3.5% grade can be equivalently written as -3.5
ft/station (a 3.5 ft drop per 100 ft of horizontal
distance). Since the PVI is three stations from the
PVC, which is known to be at elevation 1000 ft, the
elevation of the PVI is 1000 -3.5 ft/station (3
stations) = 989.5 ft 25
Element of vertical curve
Similarly, with the PVI at elevation 989.5
ft, the elevation of the PVT is 989.5 +
0.5 ft/station *(3 stations) = 991.0 ft.
However, in our example problem the
derivative will be equal to zero at some
point, so the low point will occur when
dy/dx= 2ax +b=0
B=G=-3.5 with G1 in percent. From Eq. 3.6
(with L in stations and G1 and G2 in
percent),
a=g1-g2/2l=0.5-(-3.5)/2*600=0.3333
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Element of vertical curve
Exercise
1. An equal-tangent vertical curve is to
be constructed between grades of -
2.0% (initial) and +1.0% (final). The PVI
is at station 110 + 00 and at elevation
420 ft. Due to a street the elevation of
the roadway at station 112 + 00 must
be at 424.5 ft. calculate length of the
the curve
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Con…
2.An equal-tangent vertical curve is to
be constructed between grades of
+3.0% (initial) and -2.0% (final). The
PVI is at station 115 + 00 and at
elevation 415 ft.The elevation of the
roadway at station 112 + 00 must be at
421ft.calculate the stationing and
elevations at PVC, PVT and length of
the curve.
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Cont.….
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Vertical Curves
Crest – stopping, or passing sight distance
controls
Sag – headlight/SSD distance, comfort,
drainage and appearance control
Green Book vertical curves defined by K =
L/A = length of vertical curve/difference
in grades (in percent) = length to change
one percent in grade
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Vertical Curve Equations
Parabola
y = ax2 + bx + c
Where:
y = roadway elevation at distance x
x = distance from beginning of vertical
curve
a = G2 – G1
L
b = G1
c = elevation of PVC
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Vertical Curve AASHTO Controls
(Crest)
Minimum length must provide stopping
sight distance S
Two situations (both assume h1=3.5’ and
h2=2.0’)
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Assistant with Target Rod (2ft object height)
Observer with
Sighting Rod (3.5
ft)
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Vertical Curve AASHTO Controls
(Crest)
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Example: Try SSD > L,
Design speed is 60 mph
G1 = 3% and G2 = -1%,
what is L?
(Assume grade = 0% for SSD)
SSD = 570feet ( see: Table 3.4 of text)
Lmin = 2 (570’) – 2158’ = 600.5’
|(-1-3)|
S < L, so it doesn’t match condition 35
Example: Assume SSD < L,
Design speed is 60 mph
G1 = 3% and G2 = -1%,
what is L?
Assuming average grade = 0%
SSD = 570 feet - ( Table 3.4 of text)
Lmin = |(-3 - 1)| (570 ft)2 = 602 ft
2158
SSD < L, equation matches condition 36
Evaluation of example:
The AASHTO SSD distance equations
provided the same design length from either
equation in this special case. (600
compared to 602 - this is not typical)
Garber and Hoel recommend using the most
critical grade of - 1% for SSD computation.
– Resulting SSD would be: d = 573 ft
– Resulting minimum curve: L = 608 ft
Difference between 602 and 608 is too
small to worry about
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Text example : g1 = + 3% g2 = -3%
Design speed of 60 mph
If SSD = 570’ (AASHTO – no grade
consideration)
Resulting minimum curve: L = 903 ft (S < L)
Consider grade per Garber and Hoel (p 693-694)
SSD, using - 3% grade, 598’
Resulting minimum curve L = 994 ft
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Assessment of grade adjustment
L = K *A
Where
K = length of curve per percent
algebraic difference in intersecting grade
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Chart vs computed
From chart
V = 60 mph K = 151 ft / % change
For g1 = 3 g2 = - 1
A = |g2 – g1| = |-1 – 3| = 4
L = ( K * A) = 151 * 4 = 604
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Sag Vertical Curves
Sight distance is governed by night-
time conditions
– Distance on curve illuminated by
headlights need to be considered
Driver comfort
Drainage
General appearance
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Vertical Curve AASHTO Controls (Sag)
Headlight Illumination sight distance
S < L: L= AS2
400 + (3.5 * S)
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Vertical Curve AASHTO Controls (Sag)
L > 100 A
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Sag Vertical Curve: Example
A sag vertical curve is to be designed to join a –3% to a
+3% grade. Design speed is 40 mph. What is L?
Skipping steps: SSD = 313.67 feet S>L
Determine whether S<L or S>L
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Sag Vertical Curve: Example
A sag vertical curve is to be designed to join a –3%
to a +3% grade. Design speed is 40 mph. What is
L?
Skipping steps: SSD = 313.67 feet
L= 6 x (313.67)2 = 394.12 ft
400 + 3.5 x 313.67
313.67 < 394.12, so condition applies
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Sag Vertical Curve: Example
A sag vertical curve is to be designed to join a –3%
to a +3% grade. Design speed is 40 mph. What is L?
Skipping steps: SSD = 313.67 feet
Testing for comfort:
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Vertical Curve AASHTO Controls (Sag)
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Other important issues:
Use lighting if need to use shorter L
than headlight requirements
Sight distance at under crossings
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Example: A crest vertical curve joins a +3% and –4% grade.
Design speed is 75 mph. Length = 2184.0 ft. Station at VPI is
345+ 60.00, elevation at VPI = 250 feet. Find elevations and
station for VPC (BVC) and VPT (EVC).
L/2 = 1092.0 ft
Station at VPC = [345 + 60.00] - [10 + 92.00] = 334 + 68.00
Vertical Diff VPI to VPC: -0.03 x (2184/2) = - 32.76 feet
ElevationVPC = 250 – 32.76 = 217.24 feet
Station at VPT = [345 + 60.00] + [10 + 92.00] = 357 + 52.00
Vertical Diff VPI to VPT = -0.04 x (2184/2) = - 43.68 feet
Elevation VPT = 250 – 43.68 = 206.32 feet
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Example: A crest vertical curve joins a +3% and –4%
grade. Design speed is 75 mph. Length = 2184.0 ft.
Station at VPI is 345+ 60.00, elevation at VPI = 250
feet. Station at VPC (BVC) is 334 + 60.00, Elevation
at VPC: 217.24 feet.
Calculate points along the vertical curve.
X = distance from VPC
Y= Ax2
200 L
Elevationtangent = elevation at VPC + distance x grade
Elevationcurve = Elevationtangent - Y
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Example: A crest vertical curve joins a +3% and
–4% grade. Design speed is 75 mph. Length =
2184.0 ft. Station at VPI is 345+ 60.00,
elevation at VPI = 250 feet. Find elevation on
the curve at a point 400 feet from VPC.
Y=Ax 2
= - 7 x (400 ft)2 = - 2.56 feet
200L 200 (2814)
Elevation at tangent = 206.32 + (400 x 0.03) =
218.32
Elevation on curve = 218.32 – 2.56 feet = 226.68’
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Y