VERTICAL CURVES

o Types
o Elements
o Properties
o Formulas
• PC = Point of Curvature; also known as PVC or the beginning
of the vertical curve
• PI = Point of Intersection; also known as PVI or the Point of
Vertical Intersection
• PT = Point of Tangency; also known as PVT or the end of the
vertical curve.
• L = Length of the Parabolic Curve; the projection of the curve
onto a horizontal surface which corresponds to the plan
distance
• S1 = horizontal distance from PC to the highest (lowest) point
of the summit (sag) curve
• S2 = horizontal distance from PT to the highest (lowest) point
of the summit (sag) curve.
• h1 = vertical distance from PC to the highest (lowest) point of
the summit (sag) curve
• h2 = vertical distance from PT to the highest (lowest) point of
the summit (sag) curve.
• g1 = grade (in %) of back tangent
• g2 = grade (in %) of the forward tangent
• A = change in grade from PC to PT
• a = vertical distance between PC and PI
• b = vertical distance between PT and PT
• H = vertical distance between PT and the curve
• The length of parabolic curve L is the horizontal distance
between PC and PT.
• PI is midway between PC and PT.
• The curve is midway between PI and the midpoint of the chord
from PC to PT.
• The vertical distance between any two points on the curve is
equal to area under the grade diagram. The vertical
distance c = Area.
• The grade of the curve at a specific point is equal to the offset
distance in the grade diagram under that point. The grade at
point Q is equal to gQ.
Formulas can be applied to both summit and sag curves
rise = run x slope
1
a  g1L
2
1
b  g2 L
2
Neglecting the sign of g1 and g2:

S1 L

g1 g1  g 2
g1 L
S1 
g1  g 2

S2 L

g 2 g1  g 2
g2 L
S2 
g1  g 2
Vertical distance under
the grade diagram:

1
h1  g1 S1
2
1
h2  g2 S 2
2
 L
H  (g1  g 2 )
8
2
1 
2  L
x  2 

y H
1. A grade line AB, having a slope of +5%, intersect another
grade line BC, having a slope of -3%, at B. The elevations of
points A, B and C are 95 m, 100 m and 97 m, respectively.
Determine the elevation of the summit of the 100 m parabolic
vertical curve to connect the grade lines.
Horizontal distance between A and B = (100 - 95)/0.05 = 100 m
Horizontal distance between B and C = (100 - 97)/0.03 = 100 m
The figure above placed the parabolic curve at the middle-half:
Elev PC = Elev A + 50(0.05)
Elev PC = 95 + 2.5
Elev PC = 97.5 m
Distance from PC to the summit:
S1 100
 ; S1  62 .5 m
0.05 0.08
Elevation of the summit:
Elevation of the summit = Elev PC + (1/2) S1(0.05)
Elevation of the summit = 97.5+ (0.5)(62.5)(0.05)
Elevation of the summit = 99.0625 m
2. A symmetrical vertical summit curve has tangents of +4% and
-2%. The allowable rate of change of grade is 0.3% per meter
station. Stationing and elevation of PT is at 10+020 and
142.63 m, respectively.
a. Compute the length of curve.
g1  g 2
Rate of Change 
n
4  ( 2 )
0 .3  ; n  20 stations
n
Length of curve  20 (20 )
Length of curve  400 m
b. Compute the distance of the highest point of curve from the
PC g 1L 0 . 04 (400 )
S1  
g1  g 2 0 . 04  (  0 . 02 )
S 1  266 . 67 m from PC
c. Compute the elevation of the highest point of the curve
L
H  (g1  g 2 )
8
400
H (0.04  0.02)
8
H 3
H y

(200 ) (133 .33)2
2

3(133 .33)2
y
(200 )2
y  1.33
Elevation at highest point  142 .63  133 .33 (0.02)  1.33
Elevation at highest point  143 .97
3. A highway engineer must stake a symmetrical vertical curve
where an entering grade of +0.80% meets an existing grade of
-0.40% at station 10 + 100 which has an elevation of 140.36 m.
If the maximum allowable change in grade per 20 m station is
-0.20%, what is the length of the vertical curve?
A  g1  g 2 ; A  0 .80  ( 0 .40 )
A  1 .20 %
Number of meter  stations , n :
total change in grade , A 1 .20 %
n ;n 
change in grade per meter  station 0 .20 %
n  6 stations
Length of vertical curve :
L  number of meter  stations x length of a meter  station
L  6 x 20
L  120 m
4. The vertical summit curve has its highest point of the curve at
a distance 48 m from the PT. The back tangent has a grade of
+6% and a forward grade of -4%. The curve passes thru point
A on the curve at station 25+140. The elevation of the grade
intersection is 100 m at station 25+160.
a. Compute the length of the curve:
g 2L  0 . 04 L
S2  ; 48 
g 2  g1  0 . 04  0 . 06
L  120 m
b. Compute the stationing of PT

Sta . of PT
Sta . of PT  (25  160 )  (60 )
Sta . of PT  25  220
c. Elevation of A on the curve:
L
H  (g 2  g 1 )
8
120 (0 . 06  0 . 04 )
H
8
H  1 .5
y 1 .5
2

(40 ) (60 )2
y  0 . 67
Elev .of A  100  20 (0 . 06 )  0 . 67
Elev .of A  98 . 13 m