VERTICAL CURVES

SYMMETRICAL & UNSYMMETRICAL PARABOLIC CURVES

Function

When the grade line intersects, there is a vertical change of

direction. To insure safe and comfortable travel, the surveyor
rounds off the intersection by inserting a vertical parabolic curve.
Introduction

Factors to consider when designing a grade line of tangents and

curves:

1. Providing a good fit with the existing ground profile

2. Balancing the volume of cut material against fill
3. Maintaining adequate drainage
4. Not exceeding maximum specified grades
5. Meeting fixed elevations such as intersections with other roads
Types of Vertical Curves

a) Sag curve – a down grade followed by an upgrade

b) Crest/Summit Curve – an up grade followed by a down grade
Types of Vertical Curves

c) Rising curve – an upgrade is followed by another upgrade

d) Falling Curve – a downgrade is followed by another downgrade
General Equation of a Parabolic Curve

The general equation of a parabolic curve is:

𝑦 = 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐵𝑥 + 𝐶
𝑎𝑡 𝑥 = 0, 𝑦 = 𝐶
Differentiating
𝑑𝑦
= 2𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵
𝑑𝑥
𝑎𝑡 𝑥 = 0, 𝑦 ′ = 𝐵
Which means B is the slope of the tangent at
origin
𝑑 𝑑𝑦
= 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
= 2𝐴 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
Equation of an Equal Tangent Vertical Parabolic
Curve
The equation of a parabola can now
be transformed to:
𝑦 = 𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝑔1 𝑥 + 𝑦𝐵𝑉𝐶
𝑎𝑠 𝑔1 = 𝐵 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶 = 𝑦𝐵𝑉𝐶
With
𝑔2 − 𝑔1
𝐴=
2𝐿
Thus,
𝒈𝟐 − 𝒈𝟏 𝟐
𝒚= 𝒙 + 𝒈𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒚𝑩𝑽𝑪
𝟐𝑳
Equation of an Equal Tangent Vertical Parabolic
Curve
The rate of change of grade, r, for an
equal-tangent parabolic curve equals
the total grade change from BVC to
EVC divided by length L,

𝑔2 − 𝑔1
𝑟=
𝐿
Thus,
𝒓 𝟐
𝒚= 𝒙 + 𝒈𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒚𝑩𝑽𝑪
𝟐
Elements of Vertical Curve
Elements of Vertical Curve

• PC – point of curvature, also known as BVC (beginning of vertical curve)

• PT – point of tangency, also known as EVC (end of vertical curve)
• PI – point of intersection of the tangents, also called PVI (point of vertical intersection)
• L – length of parabolic curve, horizontal distance between PC and PT
• S1 – horizontal distance from PC to the highest/lowest point of the curve
• S2 – horizontal distance from PT to the highest/lowest point of the curve
• h1 – vertical distance between PC and the highest/lowest point of the curve
• h2 – vertical distance between PT and the highest/lowest point of the curve
• g1 – grade (in percent) of back tangent (tangent through PC)
• g2 – grade (in percent) of the forward tangent (tangent through PT)
• H – vertical distance between PI and the curve
Computations

• Length of Curve. The length of the vertical curve is the

horizontal distance from PVC/BVC to PVT/EVC. Usually, the
curve extends L/2 stations on each side of the point of vertical
intersection and is most conveniently divided into full station
increments.
• Station Interval. Once the length of curve is determined, the
surveyor selects an appropriate station interval (SI). Since PVI
is the only fixed station, the next step is to compute the station
value of the PVC, PVT, and all stations on the curve.
Computations

• Tangent Elevations. Compute tangent elevations BVC, EVC,

and all stations along the curve.

𝑳
𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗. 𝑩𝑽𝑪 = 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗. 𝑷𝑽𝑰 ± 𝒈𝟏
𝟐
𝑳
𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗. 𝑬𝑽𝑪 = 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗. 𝑷𝑽𝑰 ± 𝒈𝟐
𝟐
Computations

• Vertical Maximum. The parabola bisects a line joining the PVI

and the midpoint of the chord drawn between the PVC and PVT.
Line VE = DE and is referred to as the vertical maximum Vm (H).
Computations

• Vertical Maximum. Vm or H

𝑳
𝑯 = 𝒈𝟐 − 𝒈𝟏
𝟖

𝟏 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗. 𝑷𝑽𝑪 + 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗. 𝑷𝑽𝑻

𝑯= − 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒗 𝑷𝑽𝑰
𝟐 𝟐
Computations

• Vertical Offset. The value of the vertical offset is the vertical

distance between the tangent line and the road grade.

𝒚 𝑯
𝟐
= 𝟐
𝒙 𝑳ൗ
𝟐

A parabolic curve presents a mirror image. This means that the

second half of the curve is identical to the first half, and the
offsets are the same for both sides of the curve.
Computations

• Station Elevation. The elevation of the curve at any station is

equal to the tangent elevation at that station plus or minus the
vertical offset for that station.
• First and second differences. The first differences are the
differences in elevation between successive stations along the
curve, namely, the elevation of the second station minus the
elevation of the first station, the elevation of the third station
minus the elevation of the second, and so on.
The second differences are the differences in the first
differences.
High or Low Point on a Vertical Curve

At the low or high point, a tangent to the curve will be horizontal

and its slope equal to zero. Taking the derivative of the parabolic
curve equation and setting it equal to zero, the derived formula
will be:
𝒈𝟏 𝑳
𝑺𝟏 =
𝒈 𝟐 − 𝒈𝟏

If g2 is substituted in the numerator, distance X is measured back

from the EVC.
𝒈𝟐 𝑳
𝑺𝟐 =
𝒈 𝟐 − 𝒈𝟏
Staking Out Vertical Curve
Sample Problem 1

A grade 𝑔1 of -3.629% intersects grade 𝑔2 of 0.151% at a vertex

whose station and elevation are 5 + 265.000 and 350.520 m,
respectively. A equal tangent parabolic curve of 240 m length will
be used to join the tangents.

• Compute and tabulate the curve for staking at 40 m increments.

• Determine also the station and elevation of the curve’s
highest/lowest point.
Sample Problem 2

A parabolic curve has a descending grade of -0.8% which meets

an ascending grade of 0.4% at station 10 + 020. The max
allowable change of grade per 20 m. station is 0.15. Elevation at
station 10 + 020 is 240.60 m.

a. What is the length of the curve?

b. Compute the elevation of the lowest point of the curve.
c. Compute the elevation at station 10 + 000.
Sample Problem 3

A symmetrical parabolic summit curve connects two grades of

+6% and -4%. It is to pass through a point “P”, the stationing of
which is 35 + 280 and the elevation is 198.133 m. If the elevation
of the grade intersection is 200 m with stationing 35 + 300.

a. Determine the length of the curve.

b. Determine the stationing and elevation of PC
c. Determine the stationing and elevation of PT
Definition

An unequal-tangent vertical curve is simply a pair of equal-

tangent curves, where the EVC of the first curve is the BVC of the
second. This point is called CVC, point of compound vertical
curvature.
Computation

• To perform calculations for this type of curve, connect the

midpoints of the tangents for the two curves, to obtain line AB.
• Point A is the vertex of the first curve and is located L1/2 back
from V.
• Point B is the vertex of the second curve which is L2/2 forward
from V.
• Calculate the grade of the common tangent AB by dividing the
difference in elevation between B and A by the distance in
stations separating these two points.
Grade of the Common Tangent, g3

• 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝐴 = 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝑃𝑉𝐼 − 𝑔1 𝐿1ൗ2

𝐿2
• 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝐵 = 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝑃𝑉𝐼 − 𝑔2 ൗ2
∆𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝐴𝐵 = 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝐵 − 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝐴
𝐿2ൗ 𝐿1ൗ
= 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝑃𝑉𝐼 − 𝑔2 2 − 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝑃𝑉𝐼 − 𝑔1 2

𝐿1ൗ 𝐿2ൗ
∆𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. 𝐴𝐵 = 𝑔1 2 − 𝑔2 2

• 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝐴𝐵 = 𝐿1ൗ2 + 𝐿2ൗ2

Grade of the Common Tangent, g3
∆𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣.𝐴𝐵
• 𝑔3 =
𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝐴𝐵

𝐿1ൗ 𝐿2ൗ
𝑔1 2 − 𝑔2 2
𝑔3 =
𝐿1ൗ 𝐿2ൗ
2+ 2
𝒈 𝟏 𝑳𝟏 + 𝒈 𝟐 𝑳𝟐
𝒈𝟑 = (𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙)
𝑳𝟏 + 𝑳 𝟐
Location of Highest/Lowest Point of the Curve

 When g1L1 < 2H, use S1

𝒈 𝟏 𝑳𝟏 𝟐
𝑺𝟏 =
𝟐𝑯

 When g1L1 > 2H, use S2

𝒈 𝟐 𝑳𝟐 𝟐
𝑺𝟐 =
𝟐𝑯
Sample Problem 1

A +4.00% grade meets a -2.00% grade at station 1+500 and

elevation 400 m. Length of 1st curve is 180 m and that of 2nd
curve is 120 m.

• Compute and tabulate full station elevations.

• Location of highest/lowest point
• Elevation of highest/lowest point
Sample Problem 2

A -3.00% grade meets a +5.00% grade near an underpass. In order to

maintain the minimum clearance allowed under the bridge and at the same
time introduce a vertical transition curve in the grade line, it is necessary to
use a curve that lies 200 m on the back tangent and 100 m on the forward
tangent. The station at the beginning of the curve is 10 + 000 and elevation
of 228 m.

• Det. the elevation at 10 + 040

• If the uphill edge of the under side of the bridge is at station
10 + 220 and at elevation 229.206 m, what is the vertical clearance under the bridge at
this point?
• Determine the stationing of the lowest point of the curve