Vertical alignment

The vertical alignment of a highway consists of straight sections known as grades,

(or tangents) connected by vertical curves.
Vertical alignment specifies the elevation of points along a roadway. The elevation
of these roadway points s usually determined by the need to provide an acceptable
level of driver safety, driver comfort, and proper drainage (from rain fall
runoff).

1- Grades
The grade of highway is the measure of its incline or slope. The amount of grade
indicate how much the highway is inclined from the horizontal.

Rise

Run
ALIGNMENTBASIC COMPONENTS OF TICAL
VERTICAL ALIG Maximum Highway Grades
The selection of maximum grades for a highway depends on the design speed and
the topography (type of terrain).
Table below show the maximum grades with different type of terrain (level, rolling
and mountain terrain)