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Chapter 15

The document discusses the geometric design of highway facilities, including the layout and types of vertical curves based on the signs of grades G1 and G2. It also discusses criteria for determining minimum lengths of crest and sag vertical curves based on stopping sight distance, comfort, appearance, and drainage. Additionally, it covers the four types of horizontal curves and how degree of curve is defined based on arc length or chord length for a simple circular curve.

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ahmad khan
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46 views

Chapter 15

The document discusses the geometric design of highway facilities, including the layout and types of vertical curves based on the signs of grades G1 and G2. It also discusses criteria for determining minimum lengths of crest and sag vertical curves based on stopping sight distance, comfort, appearance, and drainage. Additionally, it covers the four types of horizontal curves and how degree of curve is defined based on arc length or chord length for a simple circular curve.

Uploaded by

ahmad khan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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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.

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