VERTICAL PARABOLIC CURVES

A. SYMMETRICAL PARABOLIC CURVES

In Highway Engineering practice, abrupt change in the vertical direction of moving vehicles should be avoided. In order to
provide gradual change in the vertical direction of moving vehicles, a parabolic vertical curve is employed on the account of its slope
which varied at constant rate with respect to horizontal distances.
S1 S2

X1 X2
B P.I.

H -g2
+g1 Y1 Y2
P 2
1 H P.T.
D
C
P.C.
A

L/2 L/2

ELEMENTS OF A VERTICAL PARABOLIC CURVE:

1. SQUARED PROPERTY OF PARABOLA (S.P.O.P) 5. Number of Stations
The vertical offsets from the tangents to the curve are proportional to For symmetrical parabolic curve, the number of stations to the left must
the squares of the distances from the point of tangency. be equal to the number of stations to the right of the point of
Y1 H Y2 H
intersection (P.I.) of the forward and backward tangent.
= L/22 and, = L/22
X1 2 X2 2

thus,
𝐘𝟏 𝐘
= 𝐗 𝟐𝟐
𝐗𝟏𝟐 𝟐

2. Vertical Distance BC 6. Maximum Offset (H)

The curve bisects the distance between the vertex and the midpoint of The maximum offset H is equal to one-eighth of the product of the
the long chord. algebraic difference between two tangent grades and the length of
curve.
𝐁𝐂 = 𝟐𝐇
𝐋
𝐇 = 𝟖 (𝐠 𝟏 − 𝐠 𝟐 ) For vertical SUMMIT curve

𝐋
𝐇 = 𝟖 (𝐠 𝟐 − 𝐠 𝟏 ) For vertical SAG curve

3. Length of Parabolic Curve (L) 7. Location of the HIGHEST or LOWEST point in the curve.
The length of the parabolic curve refers to the HORIZONTAL DISTANCE
from P.C. to P.T. 𝐠𝟏 𝐋
𝐒𝟏 = (𝐠 From the P.C.
𝟏 −𝐠 𝟐 )

𝐠𝟐 𝐋
𝐒𝟐 = (𝐠 From the P.T.
𝟐 −𝐠 𝟏 )

4. Stationing of Vertical Parabolic Curves 8. Rate of Change of Slope of the Parabolic Curve
The stationing of the vertical parabolic curve is measured along the The slope of the parabolic vertical curve varies uniformly along the
horizontal line. curve. The rate of change of slope is constant and equal to,
Where:
(𝐠 𝟏 −𝐠 𝟐 ) (𝐠 𝟏 −𝐠 𝟐 )
𝐫= =
𝐋 𝐧 n = number of stations

g1 & g2 = in percent
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Faculty, CIT-U – CE Department r = in decimal
SAMPLE PROBLEMS:
1. A vertical parabolic curve has a forward and backward tangent of -2% and 4%, respectively. The allowable rate of change of
grade is 0.30% per 20-m station. Stationing of P.I. is at 10 + 020m with elevation of 142.63m above mean sea level (AMSL).
Compute the:
a. Length of the curve
b. Stationing at tangent points
c. Location of the highest point from its tangent points
d. Elevation and Station of the highest point.
10+020m (el. 142.63m)

S1 = 266.67 m S2 = 133.33 m

P.I.
h
H -2%
+4% y
A
P.T.

P.C.
d = 66.67 m

L/2 = 200 m L/2 = 200 m

L = 400 m

Solution:
A. OR, SOLVE “y” BY SQUARED PROPERTY OF PARABOLA
LENGTH OF THE CURVE Sta. of P.T. = (Sta. of P.I.) + (L/2) y H
g1 −g2 = L/22
r= n
= (10 + 020) + 200 S2 2
𝐲 = 𝟏. 𝟑𝟑 𝐦
4−(−2) Sta. of P.T. = 10 + 220m ANS.
0.03 = n y 3
= 2002
133.332
𝐧 = 𝟐𝟎 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬
so, C. SOLVE FOR VERTICAL DISTANCE “h”
L = n x full stations LOCATION OF HIGHEST POINT ON THE from geometry,
= 20 stations x (20) m/ station CURVE (PT. A) Vertical (Rise)
From P.C.: slope = Horizontal (Run)
L = 400 m ANS. 𝐡 = 𝟏. 𝟑𝟑 𝐦
4(400)
S1 = 4−(−2) 0.02 = 66.67
h

𝐒𝟏 = 𝟐𝟔𝟔. 𝟔𝟕 𝐦 ANS.
B. From P.T.: ELEVATION OF HIGHEST POINT IN THE CURVE (PT. A)
−2(400) ElevA = Elev. of P.I. – h – y
STATIONING OF P. C. S2 =
−2−4
Sta. of P. C. = (Sta. of P.I.) – (L/2) = 142.63 – 1.33 – 1.33
𝐒𝟐 = 𝟏𝟑𝟑. 𝟑𝟑 𝐦 ANS.
= (10 + 020) – 200 ElevA = 139.97 m ANS.
= (9 + 1,020) – 200
Sta. of P.C. = 9 + 820m ANS.
STATIONING OF P. T. D. STATION OF HIGHEST POINT IN THE CURVE (PT. A)
Sta. of P.T. = (Sta. of P.C.) + L MAXIMUM OFFSET (H) Sta. of A = (Sta. of P.I.) + d
= (9 + 820) + 400 400 = (10 + 020) + 66.67
H= (0.04 − (−0.02))
= (9 + 1,220) 8 Sta. of A = 10 + 86.67m ANS.
Sta. of P.T. = 10 + 220m ANS. 𝐇=𝟑𝐦

Prepared by:Engr. Jhed Chan Uy Jambongana Page 2

Faculty, CIT-U – CE Department
2. A vertical curve has tangents -4% and 3% grade for backward and forward tangent respectively intersecting at station 5 + 120m.
The two grades are connected by a 260m long vertical parabolic road. If P.T. is at elevation 100m above mean sea level,
a. At what station will the drainage cover grating will be located?
b. What is the elevation of the invert of a 1.5-m diameter reinforced concrete pipe if the depth of excavation from the drain
cover is 1.75 m?

L = 260 m

A
P.C.

P.T.

- 4%
3% el. 100m AMSL

P.I.

5+120m

TYPICAL DRAINAGE COVER GRATING

TYPICAL REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPE (RCP)

INVERT – the bottom

side of the RCP.

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Faculty, CIT-U – CE Department
Solution:

L = 260 m

L/2 = 130 m L/2 = 130 m

S1 = 148.57 m S2 = 111.43 m

d = 18.57 m
P.C.

P.T.
A
- 4%
h
y
H 3%
1.75 m el. 100m AMSL

P.I.
1.50 m
5+120m

invert

Solution:
A. B. ELEVATION OF LOWEST POINT IN THE CURVE
LOCATION OF COVER GRATING MAXIMUM OFFSET (H) (PT. A)
Location of the drainage opening MUST be 260 ElevA = Elev. of P.T. – h + y
at the lowest point of the road to ensure H= (0.03 − (−0.04))
8 = 100 – 3.34 + 1.68
total drainage of storm water. ElevA = 98.34 m
𝐇 = 𝟐. 𝟐𝟖 𝐦
LOCATION OF LOWEST POINT ON THE
ELEVATION OF THE INVERT OF THE PIPE
CURVE FROM P.C. LOCATION OF LOWEST POINT ON THE CURVE
−4(260) ElevINVERT = (Elev. of A) – 1.75 – 1.50
S1 = −4−(−3) FROM P.T. = 98.34 – 1.75 – 1.50
3(260)
𝐒𝟏 = 𝟏𝟒𝟖. 𝟓𝟕 𝐦 S2 = ElevINVERT= 95.09 m ANS.
3−(−4)
𝐒𝟐 = 𝟏𝟏𝟏. 𝟒𝟑 𝐦

STATION OF LOWEST POINT IN THE CURVE SOLVE “y” BY SQUARED PROPERTY OF PARABOLA
(PT. A) y H
Sta. of A = (Sta. of P.I.) + d S2 2
= L/22
𝐲 = 𝟏. 𝟔𝟖 𝐦
= (5 + 120) + 18.57
y 2.275
Sta. of A = 5 + 138.57m ANS. =
111.432 1302

SOLVE FOR VERTICAL DISTANCE “h”

from geometry,
Vertical (Rise)
slope = Horizontal (Run)
h
0.03 =
111.43

𝐡 = 𝟑. 𝟑𝟒 𝐦

Prepared by:Engr. Jhed Chan Uy Jambongana Page 4

Faculty, CIT-U – CE Department