Highway

Geometric Design
5. horizontal curve
Hzl Curve Elements
Horizontal Curve Design
Sight Distance on Horizontal Curve
Attaining Superelevation

Dr. Eman Kamel

Assistant Professor, Public Works Engineering Department
Civil Engineering Department,
Mansoura University
[email protected].
Geometric Design of Highways
1. Introduction Basic concepts
Factor influencing highway design
Road classification
2. Sight distance Stopping sight distance
Passing sight distance
Decision sight distance
3. Cross section elements Urban road sections
Rural road sections
4. Vertical alignment Vertical grades
Vertical curve elements
Vertical curve design
5. Horizontal alignment Hzl Curve Elements
Horizontal Curve Design
Sight Distance on Horizontal Curve
Attaining Superelevation
6. Intersection design Types of intersections
Geometric design of intersections
Sight distance in intersections
7. Interchange Types of interchanges
Topics covered in horizontal curve design

Minimum curve
Types of horizontal Elements of radius
curve horizontal curves •Based on balance
•Based on sight distance

Development of
Spiral curve length
Superelevation
Introduction to Horizontal Alignment

• Horizontal circular curves are used to join intersecting

straight lines ( or tangent)
Horizontal Alignment

The horizontal alignment consists of:

• Straight sections of the road (known as
tangents)
• connected by curves
Types of horizontal curves:
• simple,
• compound,
• reversed, and
• Spiral (transition curves).
Compound curve
Reversed curve
 Simple Curves

T
1- Tangent length: tan( / 2) = − −  T = R  tan( / 2)
R
2- Main Chord length (AB): Sin( / 2) = C / 2 − −  C = 2 R Sin( / 2)
R
3- External Distance (E): Cos( / 2) = R −−  R+E =
R
−−  E =
R
−R
R+E Cos ( / 2) Cos ( / 2)
4- Middle Ordinate: Cos( / 2) = R − M − −  R − M = R  Cos ( / 2) − −  M = R − ( R  Cos ( / 2) )
R
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5- Length of the Curve: L = R    
180
 Simple curve description
• A simple circular curve is described either by:
• its radius, (200-ft-radius curve), or
• by the degree of the curve, (a 4 degree curve).
• Degree of the curve:
• Arc definition (The angle subtended at the center of a circular
arc 100 ft in length) or
• Chord definition (The angle subtended at the center of a chord
of 100 ft).
• Highway practice uses arc definition.
• Railroad practice uses chord definition.
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 100 ft

 50 ft
100 = R  D 
180 50
100 180 Sin( D / 2) =
R= R R
 D 50
5729.6 R= D/2

R= Sin( D / 2)
D
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 Example
• The intersection angle of a 4° curve is 55°25’, and the PI is located at station 247 +
54.81. Determine: the length of the curve, the station of the PC and The station of
the PT From ARC defintion :
 5729.6
100 = R  D  −−  R =
180 D
5729.6
R= = 1432.4 ft
4
 25 
Curve length : L = R   = 1432.4  (55 + ) = 1385.42 ft
180 60 180
PC station = PI station − T
T
Recall : tan(  / 2) =
− −  then T = 1432.4  tan(55.4167 / 2) = 752.29 ft
R
 PC station = (247 + 54.81) − (7 + 52.29) = 240 + 2.52

PT station = PC station + L
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PT station = (240 + 2.52) + (13 + 85.42) = 253 + 87.94
 Minimum Curve Radius

Recommended values of e
max

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 Side Friction Factors assumed for design
(AASHTO, 2011)

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 Example:

A roadway is being designed for a speed of 70 mi/h. At one horizontal curve, it is known that
the superelevation is 8.0% and the coefficient of side friction is 0.10. Determine the
minimum radius of curve (measured to the traveled path) that will provide for safe vehicle
operation.

Solution

V2 (70) 2
R= = = 1814.82 ft
15(0.01e + f ) 15 ( (0.01 8) + 0.10 )

• This value is the minimum radius, because radii smaller than 1814.82 ft
will generate centripetal forces higher than those that can be safely
supported by the superelevation and the side frictional force.
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 Sight Distance on Horizontal Curves

Sight distance ( due to object inside the

curve )

where:

HSO = Horizontal sight line offset, m (or ft)

S = Stopping sight distance, m (or ft)

R = Radius of curve from inner lane( m (or ft)

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 Example
A horizontal curve with a radius of 800 ft connects the tangents of a two-lane highway that
has a posted speed limit of 35 mi/h. If the highway curve is not superelevated, e = 0,
determine the horizontal sightline offset (HSO) that a large billboard can be placed from
the centerline of the inside lane of the curve, without reducing the required SSD.
Perception-reaction time is 2.5 sec, and f=0.35. Lane width = 12 ft

  28.65  S  
SSD = V1  tr +
V12 − V22 HSO = R ' 1 − cos  
 a  
2g     G 
  R ' 
 g   R ' = 800 − (12 / 2) = 794
352 − 0
SSD = 1.47  35  2.5 +
30 ( 0.35 + 0 )
= 245.29 ft   28.65  245.29  
HSO = 794 1 − cos  
  794 
HSO = 794 1 − 0.988
Note: R’=the radius measured HSO = 9.45 ft
from the center of the inner lane
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 Example:

A horizontal curve on a 4-lane highway (two lanes each

direction with no median) has a superelevation of 6% and a
central angle of 40 degrees. The PT of the curve is at
station 322 + 50 and the PI is at 320 + 08. The road has 10-
ft lanes and 8-ft shoulders on both sides with high retaining
walls going up immediately next to the shoulders. What is
the highest safe speed of this curve (highest in 5 mi/h
20 increments)? and What is the station of the PC?
 Solution:
 L
Determine R: Recall : − −  L = R   
180
, then R =

− − Eq (1)

180
L = PT station − PC station
or L = 32250 − PC
PC station = PI station − T
or PC = 32008 − T
T T
Recall : tan(  / 2) = or − −  R = − − Eq (2)
R tan(  / 2)
Eq (1) = Eq (2) 32250 − PC = 1.918101 (32008 − PC )
L T PC = 31744.4 = 317 + 44.4
 =
 Then L = 32250 − 31744.4 = 505.6 ft
  tan(  / 2)
180 L 505.6
And R = =
32250 − PC 32008 − PC  
=   40
 tan(40 / 2) 180 180
 40
21 180 505.6
R= = 724.22 ft
0.698132
 Recall:
• R from the center of inner lane:
 10 
R = 724.22 – 10 +  = 709.22 ft This because I am using
 2 Excel. When using calculator
“do not” include this term,
because you will get 10.98
• HSO = 8 +10/2 = 13 ft directly.

  28.65  S    28.65  S 
13 = 709.22 1 − cos    − −  0.01833 = 1 − cos  
  709.22   709.22 
 28.65  S 
cos   = 0.98167
 709.22 
28.65  S −1 180
= cos (0.98167) = 0.191762  = 10.98713
709.22 
22 then S = 271.98 ft
 Max. Speed
V12 − V22
SSD = V1  tr +
 a  
2g     G 
 g  
S2 − 0
271.98 = 1.47  S  2.5 +
  11.2  
30    + 0
  32.2  
S2
271.98 = 3.675  S +
30 ( 0.348 )
S 2 + 38.367  S − 2839.471 = 0
then S = 37.45 mi / h and S = −75.82
( Accepted ) (Rejected )

The highest safe speed for SSD = 35 mi/h

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 Tangent to curve transition (
development of super elevation)

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 Development of superelevation

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 Development of superelevation

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 Development of superelevation

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 Development of superelevation

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 Development of superelevation

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 Development of superelevation

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 Development of superelevation

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 Rotation about center line

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 Rotation about center line

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 Superelevation Runoff length & tangent runout

Flat crown Full Superelevation

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 Superelevation Runoff length

• For highways where rotation is about any pavement

reference line and the rotated width has a common
superelevation, the following equation may be used to
determine superelevation runoff.

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 Maximum Relative Gradients

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 Adjustment Factor for Number of Lanes Rotated

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 Superelevation Runoff Lr (ft) for Horizontal Curves
(AASHTO Recommendation)

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 Minimum Tangent runout length

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 Rotation about centerline

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 Rotation about outside

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 Rotation about inside

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 Superelevation on
a circular curve
(No Spiral curve)
The length of crown runoff (C) is the distance
required for the outside lane(s) to transition from
a normal crown to a flat crown.

Superelevation on a
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spiral/circular curve
combination.
 Thanks for your
time

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