CEE 3604

Transportation Geometric
Design

Highways

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 History
• Roads have been developed in ancient cultures for
trade and military reasons

• Silk Road - 6000 km in length

• Appian Road - Rome to Brindisi (Italy)

Source:
Wikipedia

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 Types of Alignments

• Horizontal
• Vertical

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 The Concept of Station
• The position of a specific point on a highway is
traditionally determined using the concept of
stations
• A datum point on a highway alignment is specified.
This initial point is designated station 0+ 000.000

• The positions of all other points on the highway

are calculated by measuring the corresponding
distances on a horizontal plane along the highway
from the initial point

• For example, the point on a highway located

2345.6 m from the previously specified point, is
designated station 2 + 345.600

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 Vertical Alignment

• Vertical alignment is composed of straight sections

that are connected by vertical curves

• These straight sections are called grades or

tangents

• Once a vertical alignment is designed, the

elevations of all the points along the highway are
established.

• Vertical curves are classified as "crest" or

"sag" curves

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Types of Vertical Alignments

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 Elements of a Vertical Curve

Vertical Point of Curvature (VPC)

Vertical Point of Intersection (VPI)
Vertical Point of Tangency (PVT)
Length of Curve (L)
Grades (G1 and G2)
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 Vertical Alignment
• Profile grade tangents are connected by the
parabolic curve. Mathematically, the basic
definition of a parabola is:

b = G1

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 Vertical Curves
• The grades are expressed in [m/m]. Let the
difference in grades be (A = G2 - G1)

• The difference in grades is positive for sag curves

and negative for crest curves

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 Example 1
• The  length  of  a  tangent  vertical  curve  equals
300  [m].  The  initial  and  the  the  ;inal  grades  are
known  to  be  2.5%  and  -­‐1.5  respectively

The grades intersect at the station 3 + 650 and at an elevation of

210.500 m
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 Example 1
(a) Determine the station and the elevation of
the VPC and PVT points

(b) Calculate the elevation of the point on the curve

100 meters from the VPC point

(c) Determine the station and the elevation of the

highest point on the curve

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Example 1 - Solution

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Example 1 - Solution

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Example 1 - Solution

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Example 1 - Solution

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The Concept of Offset

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Offset Equations

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Stopping Sight Distance Considerations
• Ver%cal  curve  design  requires  considera%on  of  the
average  stopping  sight  distances

• Drivers  should  have  a  clear  view  of  the  road  ahead

to  stop  before  and  obstacle  while  driving  on  a
ver%cal  curve

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Crest Vertical Curve Design

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Crest Vertical Curve Design

where:
A = G2 - G1

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Crest Vertical Curve Design

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 Crest Vertical Curve Design

Do you remember
how to calculate SSD?
Please review notes

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Crest Vertical Curve Design

Rate of Vertical Curve

Parameter (meters / %)

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 Example 2
• For example 1, The highway designers are
considering design speeds ranging from 100 [km/h]
to 120 [km/h]

• Calculate corresponding minimum length of the

vertical curve that satisfies the minimum stopping
sight distance

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 Example 2 - Solution

Rate of Vertical Curve

Parameter K = 62 m/%
from AASHTO Table 7.4

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Example 2 - Solution
AASHTO Table

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 Example 2 - Solution

• Note the large difference in the lengths of

the curves required
• This has a significant effect on the cost of
building the road (cuts and fills)

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Passing Sight Distance Considerations

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Passing Sight Distance Equations

Do you remember
how to calculate PSD?
Please review notes

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Sag Vertical Curves

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Sag Vertical Curve Design

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AASHTO Design Equations

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AASHTO Design Standards

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