Quiz Answers

What can be done to improve the safety of a

horizontal curve?

Make it less sharp

Widen lanes and shoulders on curve
Add spiral transitions
Increase superelevation

Quiz Answers
5. Increase clear zone
6. Improve horizontal and vertical
alignment
7. Assure adequate surface drainage
8. Increase skid resistance on downgrade
curves

Some of Your Answers

Decrease posted speed

Add rumble strips
Bigger or better signs
Guardrail
Better lane markers
Sight distance
Decrease radius
3

Superelevation and Spiral

Curves
CE 453 Lecture 18

Objectives
1.

Define superelevation runoff length and

methods of attainment (for simple and
spiral curves)
2. Calculate spiral curve length

Other Issues Relating to

Horizontal Curves
1.
2.

Need to coordinate with

vertical and topography
Not always needed

MAXIMUM CENTERLINE DEFLECTION

NOT REQUIRING HORIZONTAL CURVE
Design Speed, mph

Maximum Deflection

25

530'

30

345'

35

245'

40

215'

45

115'

50

115'

55

100'

60

100'

65

045'

70

045'

Source: Ohio DOT Design Manual, Figure 202-1E

Attainment of Superelevation General

1.
2.
3.
4.

Tangent to superelevation
Must be done gradually over a distance without
appreciable reduction in speed or safety and
with comfort
Change in pavement slope should be consistent
over a distance
Methods (Exhibit 3-37 p. 186)
a.
b.
c.

Rotate pavement about centerline

Rotate about inner edge of pavement
Rotate about outside edge of pavement

Superelevation
Transition Section
Tangent Runout Section +
Superelevation Runoff Section

Tangent Runout Section

Length of roadway needed to
accomplish a change in outside-lane
cross slope from normal cross
slope rate to zero

For rotation about

centerline

Superelevation Runoff
Section
Length of roadway needed to
accomplish a change in outside-lane
cross slope from 0 to full
superelevation or vice versa
For undivided highways with crosssection rotated about centerline

10

Source: A Policy
on Geometric
Design of
Highways and
Streets (The
Green Book).
Washington, DC.
American
Association of
State Highway
and
Transportation
Officials, 2001
4th Ed.

11

Source: A Policy
on Geometric
Design of
Highways and
Streets (The
Green Book).
Washington, DC.
American
Association of
State Highway
and
Transportation
Officials, 2001
4th Ed.

12

13

Source: CalTrans Design Manual online,

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/oppd/hdm/pdf/chp0200.pdf

14

Same as point E of GB

15

Source: Iowa DOT Standard Road

Plans

1.

Attainment Location WHERE

Superelevation must be attained over a

length that includes the tangent and the
curve (why)
2. Typical: 66% on tangent and 33% on
curve of length of runoff if no spiral
3. Iowa uses 70% and 30% if no spiral
4. Super runoff is all attained in Spiral if
used (see lab manual (Iowa Spiral length =
Runoff length)
16

Minimum Length of Runoff

for curve
Lr based on drainage and aesthetics
rate of transition of edge line from NC
to full superelevation traditionally taken
at 0.5% ( 1 foot rise per 200 feet along
the road)
current recommendation varies from
0.35% at 80 mph to 0.80% for 15mph
(with further adjustments for number
of lanes)

17

Minimum Length of Tangent Runout

Lt =

eNC x Lr
ed

where
eNC = normal cross slope rate (%)
ed = design superelevation rate
Lr = minimum length of superelevation runoff (ft)
(Result is the edge slope is same as for Runoff
segment)

18

Length of Superelevation
Runoff
r

= multilane adjustment factor

Adjusts for total width
19

Relative Gradient (G)

Maximum longitudinal slope
Depends on design speed, higher
speed = gentler slope. For example:
For 15 mph, G = 0.78%
For 80 mph, G = 0.35%
See table, next page
20

Maximum Relative
Gradient (G)

Source: A Policy on Geometric Design of

Highways and Streets (The Green Book).
Washington, DC. American Association of
State Highway and Transportation Officials,
2001 4th Ed.

21

Multilane Adjustment

Runout and runoff must be adjusted for

multilane rotation.
See Iowa DOT manual section 2A-2 and
Standard Road Plan RP-2

22

Length of Superelevation
Runoff Example
For a 4-lane divided highway with cross-section
rotated about centerline, design superelevation
rate = 4%. Design speed is 50 mph. What is the
minimum length of superelevation runoff (ft)
Lr = 12e
G

23

Lr = 12e = (12) (0.04) (1.5)

G

0.5

Lr = 144 feet

24

Tangent runout length

Example continued

Lt =

(eNC / ed ) x Lr

as defined previously, if NC = 2%
Tangent runout for the example is:
LT = 2% / 4% * 144

= 72 feet
25

From previous example, speed = 50 mph, e = 4%

From chart runoff = 144 feet, same as from calculation

Source: A Policy on Geometric

Design of Highways and
Streets (The Green Book).
Washington, DC. American
Association of State Highway
and Transportation Officials,
2001 4th Ed.

26

Spiral Curve
Transitions

27

Spiral Curve Transitions

Vehicles follow a transition path as
they enter or leave a horizontal
curve
Combination of high speed and sharp
curvature can result in lateral shifts
in position and encroachment on
adjoining lanes
28

Spirals
1.

Advantages
a. Provides natural, easy to follow, path for
drivers (less encroachment, promotes
more uniform speeds), lateral force
increases and decreases gradually
b. Provides location for superelevation
runoff (not part on tangent/curve)
c. Provides transition in width when
horizontal curve is widened
d. Aesthetic

29

Minimum Length of Spiral

Possible Equations:
Larger of
(1)
L = 3.15 V3
RC
Where:
L = minimum length of spiral (ft)
V = speed (mph)
R = curve radius (ft)
C = rate of increase in centripetal acceleration
(ft/s3) use 1-3 ft/s3 for highway)

30

Minimum Length of Spiral

Or

(2)

L = (24pminR)1/2

Where:
L = minimum length of spiral (ft)
R = curve radius (ft)
pmin = minimum lateral offset between the
tangent and circular curve (0.66 feet)

31

Maximum Length of Spiral

Safety problems may occur when
spiral curves are too long drivers
underestimate sharpness of
approaching curve (driver
expectancy)

32

Maximum Length of Spiral

L = (24pmaxR)1/2
Where:
L = maximum length of spiral (ft)
R = curve radius (ft)
pmax = maximum lateral offset between the
tangent and circular curve (3.3 feet)
33

Length of Spiral
o AASHTO also provides recommended spiral
lengths based on driver behavior rather
than a specific equation. See Table 16.12
of text and the associated tangent runout
lengths in Table 16.13.
o Superelevation runoff length is set equal
to the spiral curve length when spirals are
used.
o Design Note: For construction purposes,
round your designs to a reasonable values;
e.g.
Ls = 147 feet, round it to
Ls = 150 feet.

34

35

Source: Iowa DOT

Design Manual

36

Source: Iowa DOT

Design Manual

37

Source: Iowa
DOT Design
Manual

SPIRAL TERMINOLOGY

Source: Iowa DOT Design Manual

38

Attainment of superelevation
on spiral curves
See sketches that follow:
Normal Crown (DOT pt A)
1. Tangent Runout (sometimes known as crown
runoff): removal of adverse crown (DOT A to B)
B = TS
2. Point of reversal of crown (DOT C) note A to B =
B to C
3. Length of Runoff: length from adverse crown
removed to full superelevated (DOT B to D), D =
SC
4. Fully superelevate remainder of curve and then
reverse the process at the CS.

39

With Spirals

Source: Iowa DOT Standard Road Plans RP-2

Same as point E of GB

40

With Spirals

Tangent runout (A to B)

41

With Spirals

Removal of crown

42

With Spirals

Transition of
superelevation

Full superelevation

43

44

Transition Example
Given:
PI @ station 245+74.24
D = 4 (R = 1,432.4 ft)
= 55.417
L = 1385.42 ft

45

With no spiral
T = 752.30 ft
PC = PI T = 238 +21.94

46

For:
Design Speed = 50 mph
superelevation = 0.04
normal crown = 0.02
Runoff length was found to be 144
Tangent runout length =
0.02/ 0.04 * 144 = 72 ft.

47

Where to start transition for superelevation?

Using 2/3 of Lr on tangent, 1/3 on curve for
superelevation runoff:
Distance before PC = Lt + 2/3 Lr
=72 +2/3 (144) = 168
Start removing crown at:
PC station 168 = 238+21.94 - 168.00 =
Station = 236+ 53.94

48

Location Example with spiral

Speed, e and NC as before and
= 55.417
PI @ Station 245+74.24
R = 1,432.4
Lr was 144, so set Ls = 150

49

Location Example with spiral

See Iowa DOT design manual for more
equations:
http://www.dot.state.ia.us/design/00_toc.
htm#Chapter_2
Spiral angle s = Ls * D /200 = 3 degrees
P = 0.65 (calculated)
Ts = (R + p ) tan (delta /2) + k = 827.63 ft
50

Location Example with spiral

TS station = PI Ts
= 245+74.24 8 + 27.63
= 237+46.61
Runoff length = length of spiral
Tangent runout length = Lt = (eNC / ed ) x Lr
= 2% / 4% * 150 = 75
Therefore: Transition from Normal crown begins
at (237+46.61) (0+75.00) = 236+71.61

51

Location Example with spiral

With spirals, the central angle for the
circular curve is reduced by 2 * s
Lc = ((delta 2 * s) / D) * 100
Lc = (55.417-2*3)/4)*100 = 1235.42 ft
Total length of curves = Lc +2 * Ls = 1535.42
Verify that this is exactly 1 spiral length
longer than when spirals are not used
(extra credit for who can tell me why,
provide a one-page memo by Monday)
52

Location Example with spiral

Also note that the tangent length with
a spiral should be longer than the
non-spiraled curve by approximately
of the spiral length used. (good check
but why???)

53

Notes Iowa DOT

Source: Iowa DOT Standard Road Plans

54
Note: Draw a sketch and think about what the last para is saying