Geometric Design

ING. E. K. NYANTAKYI, PHD, PE

09/09/23 CIVL 314 SENIOR LECTURER1
 Outline
1. Concepts
2. Vertical Alignment
a. Fundamentals
b. Crest Vertical Curves
c. Sag Vertical Curves
d. Examples
3. Horizontal Alignment
a. Fundamentals
b. Superelevation
4. Other Non-Testable Stuff
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 Concepts

• Alignment is a 3D problem broken down

into two 2D problems
– Horizontal Alignment (plan view)
– Vertical Alignment (profile view)
• Stationing
– Along horizontal alignment
– 12+00 = 1,200 ft.

Piilani Highway on Maui

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 Stationing
Horizontal Alignment

Vertical Alignment

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 Vertical Alignment

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 Vertical Alignment
• Objective:
– Determine elevation to ensure
• Proper drainage
• Acceptable level of safety
• Primary challenge
– Transition between two grades
– Vertical curves Sag Vertical Curve
G1 G2
G1 G2
Crest Vertical Curve
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 Vertical Curve Fundamentals
• Parabolic function
– Constant rate of change of slope
– Implies equal curve tangents

2
y  ax  bx  c

• y is the roadway elevation x stations

(or feet) from the beginning of the curve

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 Vertical Curve Fundamentals
PVI
G1 δ
PVC G2
PVT
L/2

L
x

2
y  ax  bx  c
Choose Either:
• G1, G2 in decimal form, L in feet
09/09/23 CIVL 314 • G1, G2 in percent, L in stations
8
 Choose Either:
• G1, G2 in decimal form, L in feet
Relationships • G1, G2 in percent, L in stations

At the PVC : x  0 and Y  c

dY
At the PVC : x  0 and  b  G1
dx

d 2Y G2  G1 G2  G1
Anywhere: 2
 2a  a
dx L 2L
PVI
G1 δ
PVC G2
PVT
L/2

L
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x
 Example
A 400 ft. equal tangent crest vertical curve has a PVC station of
100+00 at 59 ft. elevation. The initial grade is 2.0 percent and the
final grade is -4.5 percent. Determine the elevation and stationing of
PVI, PVT, and the high point of the curve.

PVI

2.0% PVT
G1=
G=
2 - 4.
5%
PVC: STA 100+00
EL 59 ft.

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 PVI

2.0% PVT
G1=
G=
PVC: STA 100+00 2 -4.5
EL 59 ft. %

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 •G1, G2 in percent
Other Properties •L in feet

G1 x

PVT
PVC

Y
Ym G2

PVI Yf
A  G1  G2

A 2 AL AL
Y x Ym  Yf 
200 L 800 200
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 Other Properties
• K-Value (defines vertical curvature)
– The number of horizontal feet needed for a 1%
change in slope

L
K
A

high / low pt.  x  K G1

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 Crest Vertical Curves
SSD

PVI
Line of Sight

PVC PVT G2
G1

h2
h1

L
For SSD < L For SSD > L

L
ASSD 
2

L  2SSD  

200 h1  h2 
2

09/09/23

100 2h1  2h2 
2
CIVL 314
A 14
 Crest Vertical Curves
• Assumptions for design
– h1 = driver’s eye height = 3.5 ft.
– h2 = tail light height = 2.0 ft.

• Simplified Equations
For SSD < L For SSD > L
ASSD 
2
2158
L L  2SSD  
2158 A
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 Crest Vertical Curves
• Assuming L > SSD…

2
SSD
K
2158

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 Design Controls for Crest Vertical Curves

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from AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2004
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CIVL 314
Design Controls for Crest Vertical Curves

18

from AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2004

 Sag Vertical Curves
Light Beam Distance (SSD)

G1
headlight beam (diverging from LOS by β degrees) G2

PVC PVT

h1 PVI
h2=0

L
For SSD < L For SSD > L

A SSD 2
200h1  SSD  tan  
L L  2SSD  
200h1  S tan   A
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 Sag Vertical Curves
• Assumptions for design
– h1 = headlight height = 2.0 ft.
– β = 1 degree

• Simplified Equations
For SSD < L For SSD > L

ASSD   400  3.5SSD  

2
L L  2SSD    
400  3.5SSD   A 
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 Sag Vertical Curves
• Assuming L > SSD…

2
SSD
K
400  3.5SSD

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 Design Controls for Sag Vertical Curves

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from AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2004
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Design Controls for Sag Vertical Curves

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from AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2004

 Example 1
A car is traveling at 30 mph in the country at night on a wet road
through a 150 ft. long sag vertical curve. The entering grade is -2.4
percent and the exiting grade is 4.0 percent. A tree has fallen across
the road at approximately the PVT. Assuming the driver cannot see
the tree until it is lit by her headlights, is it reasonable to expect the
driver to be able to stop before hitting the tree?

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 Example 2
Similar to Example 1 but for a crest curve.

A car is traveling at 30 mph in the country at night on a wet road

through a 150 ft. long crest vertical curve. The entering grade is 3.0
percent and the exiting grade is -3.4 percent. A tree has fallen across
the road at approximately the PVT. Is it reasonable to expect the
driver to be able to stop before hitting the tree?

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 Example 3
A roadway is being designed using a 45 mph design speed. One
section of the roadway must go up and over a small hill with an
entering grade of 3.2 percent and an exiting grade of -2.0 percent.
How long must the vertical curve be?

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 Horizontal
Alignment
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 Horizontal Alignment
• Objective:
– Geometry of directional transition to ensure:
• Safety
• Comfort
• Primary challenge
Δ
– Transition between two directions
– Horizontal curves
• Fundamentals
– Circular curves
– Superelevation
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 Horizontal Curve Fundamentals
PI
T Δ
E
 M
T  R tan
2 PC
L
Δ/2 PT

 100
L R 
180 D R R

 180  Δ/2 Δ/2

100 
   18,000
D 
09/09/23 R  R CIVL 314 29
 Horizontal Curve Fundamentals
PI
T Δ
E
M
L
PC Δ/2 PT

 1 
E  R  1
 cos  2  R R

Δ/2 Δ/2
 
M  R1  cos 
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 2 CIVL 314 30
 Example 4
A horizontal curve is designed with a 1500 ft. radius. The tangent
length is 400 ft. and the PT station is 20+00. What are the PI and PT
stations?

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 Superelevation W p  F f  Fcp

Rv

≈
Fc
α
F cn
F cp
α e
W 1 ft
Wn Ff

Ff Wp
α

 WV 2  WV 2
W sin   f s W cos   sin    cos 
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 gRv  gRv
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 Superelevation
 WV 2  WV 2
W sin   f s W cos   sin    cos 
 gRv  gRv
V2
tan   f s  1  f s tan  
gRv
V2
e  fs  1  f s e 
gRv

V2
Rv 
g  f s  e
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 Selection of e and fs
• Practical limits on superelevation (e)
– Climate
– Constructability
– Adjacent land use
• Side friction factor (fs) variations
– Vehicle speed
– Pavement texture
– Tire condition

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 Side Friction Factor

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from AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2004
 Minimum Radius Tables

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 WSDOT Design Side Friction Factors
For Open Highways and Ramps

from the 2005 WSDOT Design Manual, M 22-01

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 WSDOT Design Side Friction Factors

For Low-Speed Urban Managed Access Highways

from the 2005 WSDOT Design Manual, M 22-01

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 Design Superelevation Rates - AASHTO

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from AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2004
 Design Superelevation Rates - WSDOT

emax = 8%

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from the 2005 WSDOT Design Manual, M 22-01
 Example 5
A section of SR 522 is being designed as a high-speed divided
highway. The design speed is 70 mph. Using WSDOT standards,
what is the minimum curve radius (as measured to the traveled vehicle
path) for safe vehicle operation?

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 Stopping Sight Distance
SSD
 100 s
SSD  Rv  s 
180 D
180SSD  Ms
s 
Rv
  90 SSD  Obstruction
M s  Rv 1  cos 
  Rv  Rv

Rv  1  Rv  M s 
SSD  cos   Δs
90   Rv 
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 FYI – NOT TESTABLE

Supplemental Stuff
• Cross section
• Superelevation Transition
– Runoff
– Tangent runout
• Spiral curves
• Extra width for curves

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 FYI – NOT TESTABLE

Cross Section

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 FYI – NOT TESTABLE

Superelevation Transition

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from the 2001 Caltrans Highway Design Manual
 FYI – NOT TESTABLE

Superelevation Transition

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from AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2001
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CIVL 314
Superelevation Runoff/Runout

47
FYI – NOT TESTABLE

from AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2004

 FYI – NOT TESTABLE

Superelevation Runoff - WSDOT

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from the 2005 WSDOT Design Manual, M 22-01
 FYI – NOT TESTABLE

Spiral Curves

No Spiral

Spiral

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from AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2004
 FYI – NOT TESTABLE

No Spiral

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 FYI – NOT TESTABLE

Spiral Curves
• WSDOT no longer uses spiral curves
• Involve complex geometry
• Require more surveying
• Are somewhat empirical
• If used, superelevation transition should occur
entirely within spiral

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 FYI – NOT TESTABLE

Desirable Spiral Lengths

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from AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2004
 FYI – NOT TESTABLE

Operating vs. Design Speed

85th Percentile Speed

vs. Inferred Design Speed for
138 Rural Two-Lane Highway
Horizontal Curves

85th Percentile Speed

vs. Inferred Design Speed for
Rural Two-Lane Highway
Limited Sight Distance Crest
Vertical Curves
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 Primary References

• Mannering, F.L.; Kilareski, W.P. and Washburn, S.S. (2005). Principles

of Highway Engineering and Traffic Analysis, Third Edition. Chapter 3

• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

(AASHTO). (2001). A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and
Streets, Fourth Edition. Washington, D.C.

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