VERTICAL PARABOLIC CURVES

B. UNSYMMETRICAL PARABOLIC CURVES

A vertical highway curve is at times designed to include a particular elevation at a certain station where grades of the
forward and backward tangents have already been established. It is therefore necessary to use a curve with unequal tangents or a
compound curve which is usually called UNSYMMETRICAL or ASYMMETRICAL parabolic curve where one parabola extends from P.C.
to a point directly below the vertex and a second parabola which extends from that point to the P.T. In order to make the entire
curve smooth and continuous, the two parabolas are so constructed so that they will have a common tangent at the point where
they joined, which is the point below the vertex.

S1 S2

P.I.

H -g2
+g1
h2
h1 P

P.T.

P.C.

L1 /2 L1 /2 L2 /2 L2 /2

L1 L2

WHERE:
L1 = Length of the first vertical parabolic curve
L2 = Length of the second vertical parabolic curve
g1 = Slope of the backward tangent
g2 = Slope of the forward tangent
H = Maximum offset of the unsymmetrical parabolic curve

MAXIMUM OFFSET (H) Location of the HIGHEST or LOWEST point in the curve.

(𝐠 𝟏 −𝐠 𝟐 ) 𝐋𝟏 𝐋𝟐 When,
𝐇= For vertical SUMMIT curve
𝟐(𝐋𝟏+𝐋𝟐 )
g1 L1
<H Highest or Lowest point is on the First curve
2

(𝐠 𝟐 −𝐠 𝟏 ) 𝐋𝟏 𝐋𝟐
𝐇= For vertical SAG curve
𝟐(𝐋𝟏+𝐋𝟐 ) 𝐠 𝟏 𝐋𝟏 𝟐 From the P.C.
𝐒𝟏 = 𝟐𝐇

When,
g1 L1
>H Highest or Lowest point is on the Second curve
2

𝐠 𝟐 𝐋𝟐 𝟐 From the P.T.

𝐒𝟐 = 𝟐𝐇

Prepared by:Engr. Jhed Chan Uy Jambongana Page 1

Faculty, CIT-U – CE Department
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
1. An unsymmetrical parabolic curve has a forward tangent of -8% and a backward tangent of 5%. The length of the first curve is
40 m long while that on the right side is 60 m long. The P.C. is at station 6 + 780m and has an elevation of 110 m. An outcrop is
found at station 6 + 800m and has an elevation of 108.40 m. Compute the:
a. Height of fill needed to cover the outcrop.
b. Elevation of the curve at station 6 + 820m OUTCROP – It is a large deposit of rocks or boulders sticking
out of the ground.
c. Station and elevation of the highest point
d. Elevation of P.T.

PROPOSED ROADWAY

P.C.

P.T.

GROUND PROFILE

OUTCROP

L1 = 40 m L2 = 60 m

Solution:

PROPOSED ROADWAY

S1 = 25.64 m 6 + 820 m

P.I.

m
+5% H
yC
6 + 780 m (el. 110m) yA C n
d A B -8%
x
P.C.

h (height of fill)
6 + 800 m (el. 108.40m)
`
P.T.

GROUND PROFILE

20 m 20 m

L1 = 40 m L2 = 60 m

Prepared by:Engr. Jhed Chan Uy Jambongana Page 2

Faculty, CIT-U – CE Department
A. C. D.
MAXIMUM OFFSET (H) LOCATION OF HIGHEST POINT ON THE CURVE SOLVE FOR VERTICAL DISTANCE “x”
(0.05−(−0.08)) (40)(60) g1 L1 0.05(40)
from geometry,
H= 2(40+60) = = 𝟏. 𝟎 𝐦 < H = 𝟏. 𝟓𝟔 𝐦
2 2 Vertical (Rise)
slope =
Horizontal (Run)
𝐇 = 𝟏. 𝟓𝟔 𝐦 Thus, Highest point lies in the FIRST curve. x
0.08 = 60

SOLVE “yA” BY SQUARED PROPERTY OF 𝐱 = 𝟒. 𝟖𝟎 𝐦

PARABOLA So, locate the Highest point from the P.C.
yA H 0.05 (40)2 ELEVATION OF P.T.
202
=L 2 S1 =
1 𝐲𝐀 = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟗 𝐦 2(1.56) Elev. of P.T. = (Elev. of P.I.) – x
yA 1.56 𝐒𝟏 = 𝟐𝟓. 𝟔𝟒 𝐦 From the P.C. = 112 – 4.80
202
= 402 Elev. of P.T. = 107.20 m ANS.

SOLVE FOR VERTICAL DISTANCE “d” STATION OF HIGHEST POINT IN THE CURVE (PT. C)
from geometry, Sta. of C = (Sta. of P.C.) + S1
Vertical (Rise) = (6 + 780) + 25.64
slope =
Horizontal (Run) Sta. of C = 6 + 805.64m ANS.
d
0.05 = 20

𝐝 = 𝟏. 𝟎𝟎 𝐦
SOLVE “yC” BY SQUARED PROPERTY OF PARABOLA
ELEVATION OF POINT A yC H
ElevA = Elev. of P.C. + d – yA S1 2
=L 2
1
= 110 + 1.00 – 0.39
yC 1.56
ElevA = 110.61 m 25.64 2
= 402

HEIGHT OF FILL, h 𝐲𝐂 = 𝟎. 𝟔𝟒 𝐦
h = (Elev. of pt. A) – (Elev. of outcrop)
= 110.61 – 108.40
h = 2.21 m ANS.

B. SOLVE FOR VERTICAL DISTANCE “n”

SOLVE FOR VERTICAL DISTANCE “m” from geometry,
from geometry, Vertical (Rise)
slope =
Vertical (Rise) Horizontal (Run)
slope = Horizontal (Run) n
0.05 = 25.64
m
0.05 = 20
𝐧 = 𝟏. 𝟐𝟖 𝐦
𝐦 = 𝟏. 𝟎𝟎 𝐦
ELEVATION OF THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE CURVE
ELEVATION OF P.I.
(PT. C)
Elev. of P.I. = (Elev. of P.C.) + d + m ElevC = (Elev. of P.C.) + n – yC
= 110 + 1.00 + 1.00 = 110 + 1.28 – 0.64
Elev. of P.I. = 112.00 m ElevC = 110.64 m ANS.
ELEVATION OF POINT B
ElevB = Elev. of P.I. – H
= 112 – 1.56
ElevB = 110.44 m ANS.

Prepared by:Engr. Jhed Chan Uy Jambongana Page 3

Faculty, CIT-U – CE Department