Review Innovations
VERTICAL CURVES UNSYMMETRICAL VERTICAL CURVE
•A gradient is a dimensionless number. It is usually expressed
in percentages; (e.g., a road of +4% gradient rises 4 units
vertically in 100 units horizontally).
•Gradients rising from left to right are positive gradients and
gradients falling left to right are negative.
Types of Vertical Curves
Summit Curves: Vertical Curves where the total change in
gradient is negative.
Sag Curves: Vertical Curves where the total change in
gradient is positive.
Notes on Vertical Curves:
•The length of parabolic curve L is the horizontal distance
between PC and PT.
•PI is midway between PC and PT.
•The curve lies midway between PI and the midpoint of the
chord from PC to PT.
•The stationing of vertical curves is measured not along the
curve but along a horizontal line.
SYMMETRICAL PARABOLIC CURVE
Problem 1:
The back tangent with grade of +3.4 % and forward tangent with
grade of -4.8 % intersects at station 14+750 and elevation 76.3m.
The two tangents are connected by a 320 m parabolic curve.
a. Find the location of the highest point from PC.
b. Compute the stationing of the highest point of the curve.
c. Determine the elevation of the highest point.
Problem 2:
A descending grade of 4.2% intersect an ascending grade of 3%
at station 11+488 of elevation 20.8m. These two gradelines are to
be connected by a 260 m parabolic sag curve.
a. Where should be the location of drainage pipe from PT?
b. At what station is the cross-drainage pipe be situated?
c. If the outside dimension of the pipe to be installed is 95 cm
and the top of the pipe culvert is 30 cm below the curve, what is
the invert elevation?
Problem 3:
A descending grade of 6% and an ascending grade of 2%
intersect at Sta 12 + 200 whose elevation is at 14.375 m. The two
grades are to be connected by a parabolic curve, 160 m long.
Find the elevation of the first quarter point on the curve.
Problem 4:
In a certain portion of on-going construction of Clark - Subic
road, a parabolic curve is designed to connect a +6% grade and
a -4% grade. The curve is to pass through point “P” the
stationing of which was 35+280 and the elevation is 198.13m. If
the grade intersection is at station 35+300 and the elevation is
200 m, determine the following:
a. Length of the curve.
b. Location of the summit from PT.
c. Elevation of summit.
Problem 5:
A grade of -3% is followed by a grade of +2% which intersects
at station 10+250 and elevation of 100m. If the maximum change
in grade per 20 m station is 0.20%, determine the following
a. Length of parabolic curve that shall connect these two
gradelines.
b. Stationing of PC.
c. Elevation of PC.
CE Review November 2023 – Surveying 3
Problem 6:
An unsymmetrical parabolic curve connects a +4.2% grade and
a -3.4% grade. The length of curve on the left side of the vertex
is 80 m and 110 m on the other side. If the stationing of the point
of intersection is 4+460 and its elevation is 145.2 m. Determine
the following:
a. Location of the summit from PT.
b. Stationing of the summit.
c. Elevation of the summit.
Problems for Practice:
1. An underpass crossing a reinforced concrete bridge has a
downward grade of -4% meeting an upward grade of +8% at the
vertex with elev. 70 m and stationing 7+700 exactly underneath
the centerline of the bridge having a width of 10m. If the
minimum required clearance under the bridge is 5m and the
elev. at the bottom of bridge is 78.10m, determine the length of
parabolic curve that shall connect the two gradelines.
2. An unsymmetrical parabolic curve has a forward tangent of -
8% and a backward tangent of +5%. The back tangent of the
curve on the left side is 40 m long while that of the right side is
60 m long. PC is at Sta. 6+780 and at elevation 110 m. Determine
the elevation at Sta. 6+820.
Situation 1: A vertical summit parabolic curve has a vertical
offset of 0.375 m from the curve to the grade tangent at station
10+050. The curve has a slope of +4% and -2% grades
intersecting at the PI. The offset distance of the curve at PI is
equal to 1.5 m. If the stationing of the PC is at 10+000,
3. Compute the required length of curve.
4. Compute the horizontal distance of the vertical curve turning
point from the point of intersection of the grades.
5. Determine the elevation of the vertical curve turning point if
the elevation of PT is 86.42 m.
6. In a certain road construction undertaken by the Bureau of
Public Highways, it was decided to connect a forward tangent
of 3% and back tangent of -5% by a 200 m symmetrical parabolic
curve. It was discovered that the grade intersection at station
10+100, whose elevation is 100 m fall on the rocky section with
the exposed boulder at elevation 102.67 m. To avoid rock
excavation, the project engineer decided to adjust and construct
an unsymmetrical curve in such a way that the curve still jus
clear the rock without altering the position of PC and the grade
of the tangents. Determine the stationing and elevation of the
new PT.
Answers:
1. 199.50 m 4. 33.33 m
2. 110.44 m 5. 87.09 m
3. 200 m 6. 10+300.75; 106.02 m
Review Innovations CE Review November 2023 – Surveying 3

SYMMETRICAL PARABOLIC CURVE

L
H= (g1 + g 2 )
8

x 2 (L / 2)
2

=
y H

UNSYMMETRICAL VERTICAL CURVE

L 1L 2
H= (g 1 + g 2 ) g 3 (L 1 + L 2 ) = g 1L 1 + g 2L 2
2(L 1 + L 2 )