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CIVE 319: Transportation Engineering

Winter 2014
ASSIGNMENT # 5
Assigned: April 2, 2014 Due: April 11, 2014
HOMEWORK IS DUE AT 4:00 P.M. AND NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE
ACCEPTED!
Solve the following problems:
1. Solve problem 3.23:
An existing equal-tangent sag vertical curve is design for 60mi/h. The initial grade is -3%
and the elevation of the PVT is 754ft. The PVC of the curve is at station 13,416ft and the
PVI is at 13,732ft. An overpass is being constructed directly above the PVI. The highway is
for cars ONLY and AASHTO minimum and recommended structure clearance do not apply.
Also the overpass design assumes the drivers eye height is set conservatively to 5ft. What is
the lowest possible elevation of the bottom of the overpass structure to ensure sufficient
stopping sight distance at 60 mi/h?
H1 =5, H2 =2
G1 = -3%
S PVC = 13,416 ft, S PVI = 13,732 ft and E PVT = 754 ft
K s = 136 for 60 mi/h
L = 2 * (S PVI - S PVC ) = 2(13,732 13,416) = 632 ft
L = K s * A, therefore, A = L / K s = 632 / 136 = 4.65
SSD = 570 ft for S D =60mi/h
Now, get L =A*SSD2 / [800 * (H c (H 2 + H 2 )/2]
From this, get H c = 6.5 ft
Then, we get also: Y m = AL/800 = 3.67 ft
Minimum elevation:
E min = E PVI + Y m + H c
G 2 = A + G 1 = 1.65
E PVI = E PVT + (G 2 /100) * (L/2) = 748.8 ft
Emin = E PVI + Y m + H c = 758.9 ft

2. Solve problem 3.32:


A sag curve and crest curve connect a -3.5% tangent section of highway (to the west) with a
+2.5% tangent section of highway to the east. The +2.5% tangent is at a higher elevation than
the -3.5% section. The two tangents are separated by 1150ft of horizontal distance. If the
design speed of he curves is 50mi/h, what is the common grade between the sag and crest
curves (G2 of sag and G1 of the crest from the west to east)? And what is the elevation
difference between the PVC s and PVT c

1150ft

Solution
L = 1275
k c = 84 from table 3.2, speed = 50mi/h
k s = 96 from table 3.3, speed = 50mi/h
Then
Ls = ks * As
Lc = kc * Ac
With A s = |G1 G2| and And A c = |G2 G3|
Where G2 = ?, and G1 = -3% and G3 = +2%.
(We do not know the sing of G2, but we know that this should be positive and > 2% to a
crest curve to exist). Therefore, to guarantee that this becomes an addition (G1=-3 and G2
=+) and to eliminate the absolute number: A s = G2 G1
And L = L s + L c
Solving for G :
L = ks * As + kc * Ac
Solving for G2:
G2 = [L + k s * G1 + k c * G2] / [k s + k c ] = 6.4%

Then, A s = | -3.0 - 6.4 | = 9.4


A c = | -6.4 2.0 | = 4.4
and
L s = 904 ft
L c = 372 ft
Using the offset, calculate elevation difference
This is obtained as: Y f = AL/200
[A s Ls ]/200 + [G 1 /100] L s + [G 3 /100] Lc + [A c Lc ]/200 = 31 ft
3. Solve problem 3.46
A horizontal curve on a two-lane highway (12-ft lanes) has PC at station 123+80 and PT at
station 129 + 60. The central angle is 35 degrees, the super-elevation is 0.08, and 20.6 ft is
cleared (for sight distance) from the inside edge of the innermost lane. Determine a
maximum safe speed (assuming current design standards) to the nearest 5 mi/h.
NOTE: Alternatively, you can work with the international system.

Solution
V = 60
H 1 = 5 and H 2 =2 (as before)
G1 =-3%
PVC =13,416
PVI = 13,732
E PVT = 754
k s = 136 for 60mi/h
Curve length:
L = 2(13,732 - 13,416) = 632
Then: A = L / K s = 4.65
Then, using Eq 3.27
L = (A * SSD2) / {800 *[ H c (H1 + H2)/2}
With SSD = 570ft from table and for V = 60mi/h
Solving for H c
H c = 6.5ft
Finally,
And E PVI = 748 using the offset formula.

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