Horizontal and Vertical

Alignment of Highways
Transportation
HND in Construction Engineering
ICBT Kandy Campus
By
Dr G S Gurusinghe.
21st August 2012.
 Horizontal Alignment
• Controls change of direction of flow
• Safe transfer from one direction to the other
– Maintain design speed
– Circular curves
– Spiral transition curves
– Measures against skidding
– Adequate safe sight distance

2
Minimum
curvature for
design speed
V2
R
μg

M = Mass of vehicle
V = Speed of vehicle
R = Radius of Road Curve
μ = Coefficient of friction ( adhesion) between wheels
and road (usually μ = 0.25)
3
 2
MV
 μMg
R


2
V
R
μg
V2
Minimum R 
μg
Super elevation (θ)
 2
MV
Cosθ = MgSinθ
R

2
i.e. tanθ  V
gR
2
V is also known as “centripetal ratio”.
gR
 B
I 
Elements of a circular curve
joining two straights
D

 E T2

T C

T1
R
R
R AI = First straight
A R  I = Point of intersection
 IC = Second straight


O
= Angle of deviation in degrees
R = Radius of curve
O = Centre of circular curve
T1 = Start tangent point
T2 = End tangent point

8
Geometrical relationships necessary to
set out a circular curve

IT1 = Tangent length = R tan
2

T1T2 =Length of circular curve = R
180

Chainage of T1 = Chainage of I – IT1

Chainage T2 = Chainage of T1 + T1T2

9
T is any point on curve
TE = A chord such that arc distance TE =
setting out interval c (say c = 20m)

TD = Tangent at T
d = DTE = Deflection Chord TE with
c 180
tangent at T such that  
2R 
Chord TE = 2R sin 

10
 Setting out Highway Horizontal
Curves
• Control traverse necessary near the structure
to be set out.
• Mark intersecting points (PI)
• Set out curves
• Circular
• Transitions
Setting out by PI

deflection angle and

chord method
 
 
T1
'1
T2
'2

 2 2 2 2 2'
21' 2

2 
R'  '
1 2  ' 2
21 
' 2
R
R
 PI

1'  2
1'  
 1' 
T1 '1 1 2 
3



21'
2
2 2 
ChordT11  2R sin1' R'
Chord 12  2 R sin  1
21 
'

Chord 23  2 R sin  R
Example
A highway running in the direction of
264° 23' 40" changes direction to 271°
42' 00". The chainage of intersection
point PI is 113 + 725.436. The two
straights are connected by a curve of
radius 1300 m. If the chainage interval is
20 m, calculate the data necessary to set
out the curve by deflection angle and
chord length method.
ө = 271° 42' 00" - 264° 23' 40" = 07° 18' 20"
= 0.1275 rad
Tangent Length = R tanө/2
= 1300 x tan(07° 18' 20"/2) = 83.333 m
Curve length =R ө = 1300 x 07° 18' 20"/180*π
= 165.758 m
Chainage of 1st tangent point
= 113+725.436 – 83.333 = 113+642.103 m
Chainage of 2nd tangent point
= 113+642.103 m + 165.758 m = 113+807.861 m
 Length of first sub arc = 113+660 - 113+642.103
= 17.897 m
1st sub deflection angle= δ1’
=(17.897/1300 m)/2 rad = 00° 23' 39.8"
2nd deflection angle = δ1' +δ= 00° 23' 39.8"
+ (20/1300 rad)/2
= 00° 23' 39.8"+ 00° 26' 26.7"
= 00° 50' 6.5"
3rd deflection angle = δ1' +2δ = 01° 16' 33.2"
4th deflection angle = δ1' +3δ = 01° 42' 59.9"
5th deflection angle = δ1' +4δ = 02° 09' 26.6"
6th deflection angle = δ1' +5δ = 02° 35' 53.3"
7th deflection angle = δ1' +6δ = 03° 02' 20.0"
8th deflection angle = δ1' +7δ = 03° 28' 46.7"
2nd sub deflection angle= δ2' = ө/2- 03° 28' 46.7"
= 00° 10' 23.3"
1st sub chord = 2R sin δ1' = 2*1300*sin
00° 23' 39.8 " = 17.897m
Chord length = 19.998m ≈20 m
2nd sub chord = 2*1300*sin 00° 10' 23.3 "
= 7.857 m
 Transition Curves

Change of radial acceleration when

entering a circular curve from a straight
section.
Formation of transition curves between
straight and circular sections

Circular curve
Tr
it ion an
sit
s
ran L io
n
T
R
on

r=
cti

l
R
se
al
iti

r
In

Fin
a
l se
cti
on
r=


L = Total length of transition curve

R = Radius of circular curve
V = Uniform velocity of vehicle


The initial requirement in the design of a

transition curve is to find length L of the
transition curve. L may be taken
1. As an arbitrary value(say 50 m)

2. Such that the cant is applied at a constant rate

(say 0.1 m in 100m)

3. Such that the rate of change of radial

acceleration equals a chosen value
(say 0.3 m/sec3)
When the rate of change of radial acceleration is
the design criterion,
Given
L=Total length of transition curve
R=Radius of circular curve
V=Uniform velocity of vehicle
 The radial acceleration before entering the
transition curve is zero. The radial acceleration on
2

the circular curve  V
R
 The time taken to travel along the transition
L
curve =
V

The rate of change of radial acceleration is a

V2 V3
(
a  R
 0)

V 3
 L

Ra
L LR
V
Design and Setting out of Transition Curves
I  = Deflection Angle
2
L
S = Shift =
24R
Transition S

B L T1 T2
T P U
S

S
R

S
R+
1 1

O
25
TI and UI be straight sections of a road with a
deflection angle of θ°. Let the straight sections be
connected by a transition TT1 of length L1, a circular
curve T1T2 of radius R and a transition T2U of length
L2 =L1. O is the centre of the circular curve. OB is a
perpendicular from O on TI. Circular curve is
extended beyond T1 to meet OB at p. At B a circular
curve with centre O can be drawn touching TI at B.
The difference between the radius of this circle and
radius R of the circular curve is called the shift and
is denoted by S. Ф1 is the angle between OB and
OT1.
TX = , TT1 = L.
At T, = 0 and r = ∞
At T , = L
1 and r = R

1 
 
At T1, k = RL. Also k = r r RL

27
 XY  , r  
1 
    
r RL
2

  C
2RL 2

at   0,   0  C  0,   
2RL
28
• Cubic Spiral
If we assume Φ to be small,
2
δy δy 
 Φ
δ δx 2RL
2
  3
 δy  .δ or y
2RL 6RL
29
• Relationship between δ and Φ
 2
 (1 
2
)
y 14
It can be shown tanδ  
x  2
6K(1 - )
10
2
Φ Φ
 (1  )
3 35

For small ,  
3
30
 2 2
 
Since   ,  
2RL 6 RL
Now deflection of points at
distances l from the tangent point
T can be calculated.

31
l

• Cubic Parabola
If we assume Φ is small
and also x   3
x 3
y 
6RL 6 RL
This is an equation for a Cubic Parabola.
Now it is possible to compute offset
distances(y) off the tangent for
distances(x) along the tangent.

32
• Transition Curve Setting-out Data
2
 L2
L
 At T1 , 1  
2RL 2RL 2R
BM = NT1 (maximum offset)
Shift S = BP
= BM-PM
= NT1-(PO-MO)

33
 3
L
  ( R  R cos 1 )
6RL
3 2 4
L Φ1 Φ1
  {R  R(1    ....)}
6RL 2! 4!
Ignoring higher powers than Φ12
2
3
L R 1 L 3
R L 2 L 2
L 2 2
S    ( )  
6RL 2 6RL 2 2RL 6 R 8R
2
L
S 
24R
34
 Now Q1T1  PT1


2
L L
 Q1T1  R1  
2RL 2
Therefore, Q1 is the mid point
of the transition curve.
Since the deviation of Q1 from
L
the tangent is small, TQ1  TB 
2

35
From theory of simple circular curves
θ
IB  R  S  tan
2
TI  IB  TB
θ L
TI  R  S  tan 
2 2

36
It has been shown that
(1) S = L
2 θ
(2) IB = (R+S) tan
24R 2

L
(3) BT =
2

(4) IT = (R+S) tan θ + L

2 2
Other relationships necessary for
setting out of transition curves
2
 L2 L
 1  
2RL 2RL 2R

2
δ=  =

3 6RL
3 3
 x
y y
6RL 6RL
• Example 1
Calculate the setting out data for
a 75.0 m transition curve to
connect an 8º circular curve
joining two straights with an
angle of deviation 20º using 15 m
chords.

39
• To calculate R and S 100

100
R  716.20 m
π
8( ) R
180
S
L2

752
 0.327 m
θ
24R 24 x 716.2

40
• To calculate Tangent length
20 L
TL  R  S  tan   163.843 m
2 2
To calculate and tabulate the
deflection angles and deflection
offsets 2

( ) 2
Φ 2RL 
   (rad)
3 3 6RL
41
 2
 180 572.96  
2
.  60min  min
6RL π RL
3

And, y 
6RL
R = 716.2 m, L = 75 m
  15, 30, 45, 60, 75 m

42
 572.96 2 3
/m 2 /m2
 
RL
y
6RL
/m

15 225 0.010
2’24”
30 900 0.084
9’36”
45 2025 0.283
21’36”
60 3600 0.670
38’24”
75 5625 1.309
60’00”

43
 Vertical Curves
• Join gradients of highways
• Provide good riding qualities
–Constant change of gradient
–Uniform rate of increase of
centrifugal force.
• Provide adequate sighting

44
Convex (Summit) Curves

p>q

45
Concave (Valley or Sag) Curves

p<q
46
 Sign Convention of Gradients
• Gradients rising Left to Right are +ve.
• Gradients falling Left to Right are -ve.
• Change of gradient = LHS gradient (p)-RHS
gradient (q)
• For summit curves p-q is +ve
• For valley curves p-q is -ve

47
Simple Parabola

48
Properties of Simple Parabola
Gnenral function y  ax  bx  c
2

dy
 2ax  b
dx
b At maximum
x  -
2a or minimum

49
 2
d y
2
 2a
dx
This shows that rate of change of
gradient is a constant.
It can be shown that a is +ve for
valley curves and –ve for summit
curves.

50
Properties of a Vertical Curve

51
 y  ax  bx  C
2 dy
 2ax  b
dx
Where , x = 0 , y = C
and C = c

c is zero if we consider origin

as the starting point of the
curve
52
 dy
x  0, y  0, p
dx
and 2a x 0  b  p  b  p
dy
When x  L,  q  2aL  p  q
dx
a 
q  p
2L
q-p 2
y  ( )x  px
2L
53
Points of Max or Min Height on Curve
dy
 2ax  b
dx 2
d y
At max or min point 2ax  b  0, 2
 2a
dx
b p pL pL
x   x   
2a qp (p  q) (q  p)
2 ( )
2L
pL pL
 x max or min   
(p  q) (q  p)
54
• Horizontal lengths of any two tangents
from a point to a vertical curve are equal.

PB = ax12 = ax22 = AA1 = CC1 = PP’

x1 = x 2
55
• The curve is bisected at the point of
intersection (VPI)
Also
y  y dy
'
  2ax  b
x dx
y  ax  bx
2

qp 2
y'  ax  (
2
)x
2L
56
Example 1: An existing road of rising
gradient 1 in 40 meets a falling gradient of 1
in 50, at a chainage 364.370 m and level
50.360 m above MSL. The gradients are to
be connected by a simple parabolic curve
length 100 m. Calculate,
(a)The rate of change of gradient
(b)The chainage and levels of the tangent
points
(c)The chainage and level of maximum
height on the curve
57
58
 1
(a) p  0.025 (or +2.5%)
40
1
q  0.020 (or +2.0%)
50
2
d y
Rate of change of gradient  2  2a
q-p dx
and a  ( )
2L
d y 2  - 0.020 - 0.025
2
4
 2    4.5  10
dx 2  100
59
(b) T T = length of curve = 100m
1 2
= horizontal proj. of curve.
L
Chainage of T1 = Chainage I –
2
= 364.370-50.000
= 314.370 m
L
Chainage of T2 = Chainage I +
2
= 364.370+50.000
= 414.370 m
60
 L
Level of T1 = Level of I – p
2
= 50.360-(0.025 x 100/2)
= 49.110 m
L
Level of T2 = Level of I – q
2
= 50.360-(0.020 x 100/2)
= 49.360 m

61
(c) Chainage of maximum height
pL
= Chainage of T1 +
p  q 
0.025  100
= 314.370 +
0.025 - - 0.020
= 369.926 m
At P (point of maximum elevation),
x = 369.926-314.370 = 55.556 m

62
Level of P = Level of T1 + ax  bx
2

q-p
= 49.110 + ( )  55.556  p  55.556
2

2L
= 49.110 +
- 0.045
( )  55.556  0.025  55.556
2

2  100
= 49.805 m Setout this curve
63
Example 2: A -2% grade is being joined
to a -4% grade by means of a parabolic
curve of length 1000m. Calculate the
vertical offset at the point of
intersection of the tangents.
The vertical offset y at any point x
along the curve is given by
q-p 2
y (
'
)x
2L 64
 L
When x  , y  e
2
(q  p)L  0.04  (0.02)  1000
e     2 .5 m
8 8
65
Example 3: Calculate the setting
out data by 25 m intervals of a 300
m valley (sag) curve when two
gradients - 2% and +1.6% meet.
The reduced level of the beginning
of the curve is 27.94 m and the
chainage of the intersection of
gradients is 326.730 m.
66
Setting Out a Fill

Fill
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Cut
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FillCorrections?

Cut
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