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VERTICAL ALIGNMENT
Categories of Gradients or
control grades

Categories of Gradients:
◼ Ruling or Design Gradient:
◼ Maximum gradient, within that the vertical profile is
designed
◼ Difficult to fix because depends on
◼ Type of terrain
◼ The length of the grade ( Change in speed affected by the
length)
◼ The design speed (classification of roads)
◼ Pulling power of the Vehicles
◼ Presence of horizontal curve ( provide flatter gradient)

3% for plain, 5% for Rolling, 7 % for Hilly

Categories of Gradients:

◼ Limiting Gradient:
◼ Steeper than the ruling gradient
◼ Provide due to topographic constraints
◼ Extra care required
◼ Place a level stretch or easier grade between longer
limiting grades
◼ 5% for Plain and Rolling, 7 % for Hilly,
◼ Exceptional Gradient:
◼ Provided in extreme difficult situations
◼ Steeper than the limiting
◼ For only shorter stretches ( not > 60 m in one Km)
◼ 7% for Plain and Rolling, 85 for hilly
Minimum Gradient

◼ Provided to drain out the water along

the side drains and depends
◼ Surface of the drains
◼ Rainfall Run-off
◼ Type of soil
◼ Topography and site condition
◼ 0.2% for used generally
◼ 1% for earthen or open drains
Critical Length of Grade
◼Maximum length of ascending
gradient on which a loaded heavy
vehicle can operate without undue
reduction in speed ( not > 25 km/h)
Depends on
◼ gradient and
◼ horse power of truck
Vertical Curves
Objective:
◼ Provided at intersection of two
gradients
◼ Safe transition between two grades

◼ To smoothen the vertical profile

◼ To ease of the changes from one

grade to another
 Fundamental of Vertical Curve
SSD on vertical curves

The sharper the slope, the shorter the sight distance – the slope needs to
be designed based on the requirement of SSDs of various design speed.
Dr. Rizwan Memon 8
Types of vertical Curves

• Crest vertical curves

• Sag Vertical curves

PVI
A

+ G2
PVC PVT - G1

+ G1
L/2
-G2 - G2
L/2
L
L

Crest vertical curve –type I

(Equal Tangent Vertical Curves)
Crest vertical curve –type II
Dr. Rizwan Memon (equal tangent) 9
 - G1

- G2
L/2
+ G2
- G1 + G2 L

+G1
L/2

L
Sag vertical curve –type I Sag vertical curve –type II
(Equal Tangent Vertical Curves)
Dr. Rizwan Memon 10
Vertical curve elements:

G1 = initial roadway grade in percent

G2 = final roadway grade in percent
A = Absolute value of difference in grades (initial minus final, usually in
percent)
PVC = point of the vertical curve (the initial point of the curve)
PVI =point of vertical intersection (intersection of initial and final grades)
PVT = point of vertical tangent, which is the final point of the vertical
curve
L = the length of the curve in stations or ft measured in a constant
elevation horizontal plane

Dr. Rizwan Memon 11

 Stopping Sight Distance and Crest Vertical Curve Design

– Minimum curve length (L) for safe stopping

s
Where in the graph, PVI

S = Stopping Sight Distance, m

h1= height of driver’s eye above roadway
surface in m.
h2
h2= height of object above roadway surface PVC PVT
in m. h1
L

AS 2
L= Crest curve
for S<L: 100( 2h1 + 2h2 ) 2

For S > L:
200( h1 + h2 ) 2
L = 2S −
A

Dr. Rizwan Memon 12

To determine the minimum length of curve required to provide adequate Stopping
Sight Distance SSD, set S equal to SSD, and, h1 = 1.08 m, h2 = 0.60 m
(recommended by Green Book),

The minimum curve length Lm is given by:

For L > SSD

AS 2
Lm =
658

For L < SSD 658

Lm = 2S −
A

Dr. Rizwan Memon 13

Length of vertical curve for Passing Sight :

For L > PSD:

AS 2
Lm =
864
For L< PSD: 864
Lm = 2 S −
A
PSD: Passing Sight Distance

Dr. Rizwan Memon 14

 Stopping Sight Distance and Sag Vertical Curve Design

s
– Minimum curve length (L) for safe stopping

Where,

h = Height of headlight (0.6m) h

 = inclined angle of headlight beam in
degrees (10) 
PVT
PVC

PVI

Dr. Rizwan Memon 15

 Sag Vertical Curve Design

The critical concern for sag vertical curve design is the length of roadway illuminated by the
Vehicle Headlights during nighttime, because in day light, sight distance on a sag vertical curve is
unrestricted.

L can be given by properties of the parabola as follows:

2
AS
For L > S L=
200(h + S tan  )
For L < S 200(h + S tan  )
L = 2S −
A
Minimum L is given by replacing S with SSD, and taking h =0.6 m. and = 1 degree:

AS 2
Lm =
For L > SSD 120 + 3.5S

120 + 3.5S
For L < SSD Lm = 2 S −
A
Dr. Rizwan Memon 16