CEE 320

Winter 2006

Geometric Design

CEE 320
Steve Muench

Outline
1. Concepts
2. Vertical Alignment
a.
b.
c.
d.

Fundamentals
Crest Vertical Curves
Sag Vertical Curves
Examples

3. Horizontal Alignment
a. Fundamentals
b. Superelevation
CEE 320
Winter 2006

4. Other Non-Testable Stuff

Concepts
Alignment is a 3D problem broken
down into two 2D problems
Horizontal Alignment (plan view)
Vertical Alignment (profile view)

Stationing

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Along horizontal alignment

12+00 = 1,200 ft.

Piilani Highway on Maui

Stationing
Horizontal Alignment

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Vertical Alignment

From Perteet Engineering

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Vertical Alignment

Vertical Alignment
Objective:
Determine elevation to ensure
Proper drainage
Acceptable level of safety

Primary challenge
Transition between two grades
Vertical curves
Sag Vertical Curve

CEE 320
Winter 2006

G1

G2

Crest Vertical Curve

G1

G2

Vertical Curve Fundamentals

Parabolic function
Constant rate of change of slope
Implies equal curve tangents

y ax bx c
2

CEE 320
Winter 2006

y is the roadway elevation x stations

(or feet) from the beginning of the curve

Vertical Curve Fundamentals

PVI

G1

PVC

G2

PVT

L/2

L
x

y ax bx c
CEE 320
Winter 2006

Choose Either:
G1, G2 in decimal form, L in feet
G1, G2 in percent, L in stations

Choose Either:
G1, G2 in decimal form, L in feet
G1, G2 in percent, L in stations

Relationships
At the PVC : x 0 and Y c

dY
b G1
dx

At the PVC : x 0 and

d 2Y
G2 G1
G2 G1
Anywhere :
2a
a
2
dx
L
2L
G1

PVC

PVI

CEE 320
Winter 2006

L/2

L
x

G2

PVT

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
.0
G 1=2

PVT
G=
2

CEE 320
Winter 2006

PVC: STA 100+00

EL 59 ft.

- 4.
5%

PVI
.0
G 1=2

PVC: STA 100+00

EL 59 ft.

PVT
G=
2

-4.5

G1, G2 in percent
L in feet

Other Properties
G1

x
PVT

PVC
Y

CEE 320
Winter 2006

A G1 G2
A 2
Y
x
200 L

Ym

G2

PVI

AL
Ym
800

Yf

AL
Yf
200

Other Properties
K-Value (defines vertical curvature)
The number of horizontal feet needed for a 1%
change in slope

L
K
A

CEE 320
Winter 2006

high / low pt. x K G1

Crest Vertical Curves

SSD
PVI

Line of Sight
PVC

G1

PVT

G2

h2

h1
L

CEE 320
Winter 2006

For SSD < L

A SSD

For SSD > L

100 2h1 2h2

200 h1 h2
L 2 SSD
A

Crest Vertical Curves

Assumptions for design
h1 = drivers eye height = 3.5 ft.
h2 = tail light height = 2.0 ft.

Simplified Equations

CEE 320
Winter 2006

For SSD < L

A SSD
L
2158

For SSD > L

2158
L 2 SSD
A

Crest Vertical Curves

Assuming L > SSD
2

CEE 320
Winter 2006

SSD
K
2158

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Design Controls for Crest Vertical

Curves

from AASHTOs A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2001

from AASHTOs A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2001

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Design Controls for Crest Vertical

Curves

Sag Vertical Curves

Light Beam Distance (SSD)

G1

headlight beam (diverging from LOS by degrees)

PVT

PVC

h1

CEE 320
Winter 2006

For SSD < L

2

A SSD
L
200 h1 S tan

G2

PVI

h2=0

For SSD > L

200 h1 SSD tan

L 2 SSD
A

Sag Vertical Curves

Assumptions for design
h1 = headlight height = 2.0 ft.
= 1 degree

Simplified Equations
For SSD < L

For SSD > L

A SSD
L
400 3.5 SSD

400 3.5 SSD

L 2 SSD

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Sag Vertical Curves

Assuming L > SSD
2

CEE 320
Winter 2006

SSD
K
400 3.5SSD

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Design Controls for Sag Vertical Curves

from AASHTOs A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2001

from AASHTOs A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2001

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Design Controls for Sag Vertical Curves

Example 1

CEE 320
Winter 2006

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?

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

CEE 320
Winter 2006

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?

Example 3

CEE 320
Winter 2006

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?

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Horizontal
Alignment

Horizontal Alignment
Objective:
Geometry of directional transition to ensure:
Safety
Comfort

Primary challenge
Transition between two directions
Horizontal curves

Fundamentals
CEE 320
Winter 2006

Circular curves
Superelevation

Horizontal Curve Fundamentals

PI
T

T R tan
2

E
M
PC

100
L
R
180
D

CEE 320
Winter 2006

180
100

18,000

R
R

/2

PT

R
/2 /2

Horizontal Curve Fundamentals

PI
T

E
M

PC

1
E R
1
cos 2

/2

PT

M R 1 cos
2

CEE 320
Winter 2006

R
/2 /2

Example 4

CEE 320
Winter 2006

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?

W p F f Fcp

Superelevation

Rv

Fc

F cn

F cp

Ff

e
Wn

Ff

1 ft

Wp

CEE 320
Winter 2006

WV 2
WV 2
W sin f s W cos
sin
cos
gRv
gRv

Superelevation

WV 2
WV 2
W sin f s W cos
sin
cos
gRv
gRv

V2
1 f s tan
tan f s
gRv

CEE 320
Winter 2006

V2
1 f s e
e fs
gRv
V2
Rv
g f s e

Selection of e and fs
Practical limits on superelevation (e)
Climate
Constructability
Adjacent land use

Side friction factor (fs) variations

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Vehicle speed
Pavement texture
Tire condition

New Graph

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Side Friction Factor

from AASHTOs A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2004

New Table

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Minimum Radius Tables

New Table

WSDOT Design Side Friction Factors

from the 2005 WSDOT Design Manual, M 22-01

CEE 320
Winter 2006

For Open Highways and Ramps

New Graph

WSDOT Design Side Friction Factors

from the 2005 WSDOT Design Manual, M 22-01

CEE 320
Winter 2006

For Low-Speed Urban Managed Access Highways

New Graph

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Design Superelevation Rates AASHTO

from AASHTOs A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2004

New Graph

Design Superelevation Rates - WSDOT

CEE 320
Winter 2006

emax = 8%

from the 2005 WSDOT Design Manual, M 22-01

Example 5

CEE 320
Winter 2006

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?

Stopping Sight Distance

100 s

SSD
Rv s
180
D
180 SSD
s
Rv
90 SSD

M s Rv 1 cos
Rv

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Rv
SSD
90

Rv M s

cos
Rv

SSD

Ms

Obstruction
Rv
s

FYI NOT TESTABLE

Supplemental Stuf
Cross section
Superelevation Transition
Runoff
Tangent runout

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Spiral curves
Extra width for curves

FYI NOT TESTABLE

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Cross Section

FYI NOT TESTABLE

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Superelevation Transition

from the 2001 Caltrans Highway Design Manual

FYI NOT TESTABLE

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Superelevation Transition

from AASHTOs A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2001

Superelevation Runof/Runout
from AASHTOs A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2001

CEE 320
Winter 2006

FYI NOT TESTABLE

FYI NOT TESTABLE

New Graph

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Superelevation Runof - WSDOT

from the 2005 WSDOT Design Manual, M 22-01

FYI NOT TESTABLE

Spiral Curves

No Spiral

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Spiral

from AASHTOs A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2001

FYI NOT TESTABLE

CEE 320
Winter 2006

No Spiral

FYI NOT TESTABLE

Spiral Curves

CEE 320
Winter 2006

WSDOT no longer uses spiral curves

Involve complex geometry
Require more surveying
Are somewhat empirical
If used, superelevation transition should
occur entirely within spiral

FYI NOT TESTABLE

CEE 320
Winter 2006

Desirable Spiral Lengths

from AASHTOs A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2001

FYI NOT TESTABLE

Operating vs. Design Speed

CEE 320
Winter 2006

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

Primary References
Mannering, F.L.; Kilareski, W.P. and Washburn, S.S. (2005).
Principles of Highway Engineering and Traffic Analysis, Third
Edition. Chapter 3

CEE 320
Winter 2006

American Association of State Highway and Transportation

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