Development of transitioned vertical curve I Properties

Said M. Easa and Yasser Hassan

Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 2000, vol. 34, issue 6, 481-496

Abstract: Introducing spiral curves before and after horizontal circular curves has been widely accepted to enhance traffic safety, highway esthetics, sight distance, and driver comfort. Though, vertical curves are still designed as parabolic curves that are connected directly to the tangent (without transitions). In this paper, a cubic polynomial is used to develop a vertical transition curve before and after the parabolic vertical curve. The resulting curve, called transitioned vertical curve, consists of transition-parabolic-transition segments. Detailed mathematical formulation and derivation of the instantaneous elevation, grade, rate of curvature, and offset from the first tangent at any point are presented. The highest (or lowest) point on a transitioned crest (or sag) vertical curve, where the instantaneous grade equals 0, is determined as it is of particular importance in highway drainage design. The minimum length of a transition curve is derived based on the criterion of driver comfort. In addition, guidelines are provided to identify the conditions where the drainage of surface water on transitioned curves can be a concern. Finally, the layout of the transitioned vertical curve is described and illustrated using two numerical examples. The new transitioned vertical curve, which exhibits striking similarities to the spiraled horizontal curve, should enhance the design of highway vertical alignments.

Date: 2000
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965-8564(99)00036-1
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:transa:v:34:y:2000:i:6:p:481-496

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/supportfaq.cws_home/regional
https://shop.elsevie ... _01_ooc_1&version=01

Access Statistics for this article

Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice is currently edited by John (J.M.) Rose

More articles in Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().