Chapter 15

Geometric Design of Highway

Facilities
❑ The vertical alignment of a highway consists of straight sections known as grades G1 & G2 (or
tangents) connected by vertical curves.
❑ Figure 15.15 shows the layout of a crest vertical curve:
Sign of G1 and G2
Extra condition Type of curve Example
G1 G2

+ - None Crest Type I

- + None Sag Type III

+ + G1 > G2 Crest Type II

- - G1 < G2 Crest Type II

+ + G1 < G2 Sag Type IV

- - G1 > G2 Sag Type IV

❑ Specify the type of the vertical curve as per the given grades:

▪ G1 = +5%, G2 = -5%.
Crest vertical curve

▪ G1 = -3%, G2 = +2%.
Sag vertical curve

▪ G1 = +5%, G2 = +3%.
Crest vertical curve

▪ G1 = -3%, G2 = -4%.
Crest vertical curve

▪ G1 = -5%, G2 = -3%.
Sag vertical curve

▪ G1 = +2%, G2 = +3%.
Sag vertical curve
❑ Provision of a minimum stopping sight distance (SSD) is the only criterion used for design of
a crest vertical curve.
❑ There are two possible scenarios that could control the design length:
1. The SSD is greater than the length of the vertical curve.
2. The SSD is less than the length of the vertical curve.
How to calculate S?

u = design speed (mi/h)

t = perception reaction time = 2.5 sec
a = 11.2 ft/sec2
g = 32.2 ft/sec2
G = max of G1 and G2
❑ The selection of the minimum length of a sag vertical curve is controlled by the following
four criteria:
▪ Minimum length based of SSD criterion.

▪ Minimum Length based on Comfort Criterion.

▪ Minimum Length of Curve based on Appearance Criterion.

▪ Minimum Length based on Drainage Criterion.

o Must be considered when the road is curbed.
o There is a maximum length requirement rather than a minimum length.
o The maximum length requirement is that a minimum slope of 0.35 percent be
provided within 50 ft of the lowest point of the curve.
o The maximum length for this criterion is usually greater than the minimum length
for the other criteria for speeds up to 60 mi/h and is usually equal for a speed of
70 mi/h.
A = algebraic difference of grades = 𝐺1 − 𝐺2
❑ There are four types of horizontal curves:
1. Simple curve.
2. Compound curve.
3. Reversed curve.
4. Transition curve.
❑ A simple circular curve is described either by its radius, for example, 200-ft-radius curve, or
by the degree of the curve, for example, a 4 degree curve.
❑ There are two ways to define degree of the curve, which is based on 100 ft of arc length or on
100 ft of chord length.
❑ The angle subtended at the center of a circular arc 100 ft in length as shown in Figure 15.19(a)
is the degree of curve as used in highway work.