BUITEMS

PREPARED BY
CMS ID
SUBMITTED TO
SUBJECT
SURVEYING

HAROON RASOOL
21911
MISS AMIRA
ADVANCE

FACULTY

BS-CIVIL ENGG

SEMESTER

3RD

DATE
2013

HAROON RASOOL
CMS ID 21911

December 26,

VERTICAL CURVE
DEFINATION
A vertical curve is a curve provided in vertical
plane between two lengths of a road or railway
which are at different slopes.
OR
Vertical curves are the curves used in a vertical
plane to provide a smooth transition between the
grade lines of highways and railroads.

TYPES
SUMMIT OR CREST CURVE
Curves which are in vertically convex shaped. This
includes vertical curves at hill crests, but it also
includes locations where an uphill grade becomes
less steep, or a downhill grade becomes steeper.

HAROON RASOOL
CMS ID 21911

As centrifugal force acts upwards in case of vehicle

moving on summit type vertical curves.This is
opposite to the weight of the vehicle and causes
off-loading (reduction in wheel load) of the
vehicles. The offloading of wheels coupled with
lateral forces may lead to derailment of vehicle on
track. Therefore, the summit curves are provided
with suitable radius to reduce offloading to safe
limits.

SAG OR TROUGH CURVE

Curves which are in vertically concave shaped. This
includes vertical curves at valley bottoms, but it
also includes locations where an uphill grade
becomes steeper, or a downhill grade becomes
less steep.

The centrifugal force acts downwards in case of

vehicles moving on sag type vertical curves. This
HAROON RASOOL
CMS ID 21911

does not have any harmful effect on the vehicle

except slightly higher load on springs and axles.
However, if the train is moving on sag type vertical
curve and brake is applied from locomotive, the
front
portion
near
locomotive
will
start
decelerating, whereas the rear portion, which is on
a down gradient, will continue to move forward due
to the effect of gravity. In such a case, the vehicles
may bunch together and if the vehicles on the sag
are empty, these may get lifted up, causing offloading. In this case, the vehicles may be prone to
derailment. Properly designed vertical curves will
reduce the chances of this off-loading.

OBJECTIVE/PURPOSE
Minimize cut and fill.
Maintain adequate drainage.
Meet fixed elevations, other roads or bridges.
Provide sufficient sight distance.
Provide satisfactory appearance.
Vertical curve is used to provide a smooth and
gradual change in gradient, in the vertical plane.
HAROON RASOOL
CMS ID 21911

In some cases it is provided as circular curve, but

often it is provided as an arc of parabola for
simplification of calculations as it is easy to work
out over parabolic structure.

CHARACTERISTICS
Remains a parabola when plotted at exaggerated
scale
Vertical offsets are proportional to square of
distance along tangent
A point on parabola lies halfway along the line
from IP to mid point on chord.
Vertical acceleration is constant.
For flat gradient curves it is assumed that length
of chord=arc length=sum of tangent lengths =
distance between tangent point.

HAROON RASOOL
CMS ID 21911

NOTATIONS USED IN A VERTICAL

CURVE

PVC= Point of vertical curvature; the place where the

curve begin

PVI= Point of vertical intersection; where the grade

tangents intersect

PVT = Point of vertical tangency; where the curve ends.

POVC = Point on vertical curve; applies to any point on
the parabola.

POVT=Point on vertical tangent; applies to any point on

either

HAROON RASOOL
CMS ID 21911

tangent.

gl= Grade of the tangent on which the PVC is located;

measured
percent of slope

in

g2 =Grade of the tangent on which the PVT is located;

measured in percent of slope.

G=The algebraic difference of the grades:

G = g2 g1
Where in plus values are assigned to uphill grades and
minus values to downhill grades

L=Length of the curve; the horizontal Length measured

in 100-foot stations from the PVC to the PVT. This length
may be computed using the formula L = G/r, where r is
the rate of change (usually given in the design criteria).
When the rate of change is not given, (in stations) can be
computed as follows: for a summit curve, L = 125 x G/4;
for a sag curve, L = 100 x G/4.

L1= Horizontal length of the portion of the PVC to the PVI;

measured in feet.

L2= Horizontal length of the portion of the curve form the

PVI to the PVT; measured in feet.

E= Vertical (external) distance from the PVI to the curve,

measured in feet. This distance is computed using the
formula e = LG/8, where L is the total length in stations
and G is the algebraic difference of the grades in percent.

HAROON RASOOL
CMS ID 21911

Horizontal distance from the PVC to any POVC or

POVT back of the PVI, or the distance from the PVT to any
POVC or POVT ahead of the PW, measured in feet.
=

y = Vertical

distance (offset) from any POVT to the

corresponding POVC, measured in feet.

HAROON RASOOL
CMS ID 21911