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Lec 8

This document discusses sight distances and formulas for calculating sight distances on vertical and horizontal curves for transportation engineering design. It provides formulas to calculate the minimum length of vertical curves based on sight distance for both summit and sag curves. It also provides formulas for calculating the minimum radius of horizontal curves based on sight distance and clearance to obstructions. Sample problems are given applying the formulas to calculate curve lengths, sight distances, elevations and stationing.

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Harvey Bautista
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168 views

Lec 8

This document discusses sight distances and formulas for calculating sight distances on vertical and horizontal curves for transportation engineering design. It provides formulas to calculate the minimum length of vertical curves based on sight distance for both summit and sag curves. It also provides formulas for calculating the minimum radius of horizontal curves based on sight distance and clearance to obstructions. Sample problems are given applying the formulas to calculate curve lengths, sight distances, elevations and stationing.

Uploaded by

Harvey Bautista
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CE 5118 (TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING) INSTRUCTOR: A.

UBATAY

SIGHT DISTANCES
Sight Distance – is the length of roadway ahead visible to the driver. For the purpose of design and operation it is termed stopping
sight distance and passing sight distance.

h1 = height of driver’s eye above the pavement


= 3.75 ft. or 1.14m

h2 = height of object above the pavement


= 6 inches or 0.15m

I. Summit Parabolic Curve


A. When S ˂ L B. When S > L

Where: Where:
L – in meters L – in meters
S – in meters S – in meters
II. Sag Parabolic Curve
A. When S ˂ L B. When S > L

Where: Where:
L – in meters L – in meters
S – in meters S – in meters
III. Passing Sight Distance for Vertical Sag at Underpass
A. When S ˂ L B. When S > L

Reference: Traffic engineering 4th edition, Roess/Prassas/McShane; Fundamentals of Traffic Engineering, R. Sigua
CE 5118 (TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING) INSTRUCTOR: A. UBATAY

IV. Horizontal Curves


A. When S ˂ L B. When S > L

Where: Where:
L –Length of Curve (in meters) L – in meters
S –sight distance along the center of the curve (m) S –sight distance along the center of the curve (m)
M – clear distance from center of roadway to the obstructions M – clear distance from center of roadway to theobstructions

SAMPLE PROBLEMS:

1. A vertical curve has a descending grade of – 1.2% starting from P.C. and an ascending grade of + 3.8% passing thru the P.T.
The curve has a sight distance of 180m.
a. Compute the length of the vertical curve
b. Compute the max. velocity of the car that could pass thru the curve.
c. Compute the distance of the lowest point of the curve from the P.C.

2. A vertical summit curve has a back tangent of +2% and a forward tangent of -3% intersecting at station 10 + 220.60m and
elevation of 200m. The design speed of the curve is 80kph. Assuming coefficient of friction is 0.30 and a perception
reaction time of 2.5 sec.
a. Compute the safe stopping distance
b. Compute the length of the curve
c. Compute the elevation of highest point of the curve.

3. A vertical summit curve has tangent grades of +2.5% and -1.5% intersecting at station 12 +460.12 at an elevation of 150m.
above sealevel. If the length of curve is 182m.
a. Compute the length of the passing sight distance
b. Compute the stationing of the highest point of the curve
c. Compute the elevation of the highest point of the curve

4. The clearance to an obstruction is 9m. and the desirable sight distance when rounding a horizontal curve is 180m.
Determine the minimum radius of the horizontal curve.

5. The clearance to an obstruction is 40m. and the desirable sight distance when rounding a horizontal curve if the length of
the curve is 550m. long.

Reference: Traffic engineering 4th edition, Roess/Prassas/McShane; Fundamentals of Traffic Engineering, R. Sigua

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