Print this page Roadway Vertical Alignments
Gregory J. Taylor, P.E.
Course Outline
This course focuses on the geometric design of vertical alignments for modern roads and highways. After completing this course, you should be familiar with the general design of these alignments. The course objective is to give engineers and designers an in-depth look at the principles to be considered when designing roadway vertical alignments.
Upon course completion, the participant should be familiar with the general design guidelines for roadway vertical alignments.This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the participant will understand:
- Sight Distance
- Stopping
- Decision
- Passing
- Intersection
- Vertical Alignment
- Grades
- Climbing lanes
- Passing opportunities
- Emergency escape ramps
- Vertical Curves
- Sag
- Crest
- Coordination of Horizontal & Vertical Curves
Intended Audience
This course is intended for civil engineers and contractors.
Benefit for Attendee
Attendees of this course will be given an in-depth look at design principles to be considered for vertical roadway alignments.
Course Introduction
Roadway vertical alignments are a combination of various parabolic curves and connecting tangent grades. It is one of the fundamental three-dimensional road features directly related to safety, operations, drainage, and construction requirements. Together with the horizontal alignment (tangents and curves) and roadway cross-sections (lanes, shoulders, curbs, medians, roadside slopes, ditches, sidewalks), the vertical alignment (grades and vertical curves) help provide a three-dimensional roadway layout.
This course focuses on the geometric design of vertical alignments for modern roads and highways. Its contents are intended to serve as guidance and not as an absolute standard or rule.
Course Content
The course content is contained in the following PDF file:
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Course Summary
Along with the roadway cross section (lanes and shoulders, curbs, medians, roadside slopes and ditches, sidewalks) and horizontal alignment (tangents and curves), the vertical alignment (grades and vertical curves) helps provide a three-dimensional roadway model. Its ultimate goal is to provide a safe, smooth-flowing facility that is crash-free.
This course summarizes the geometric design of vertical alignments for modern roads and highways. This document is intended to serve as guidance and not as an absolute standard or rule. For further information, please refer to AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (Green Book). It is considered to be the primary guidance for U.S. roadway design. Section 3.4 – Vertical Alignment was used exclusively to present fundamental roadway profile geometric design principles.
Related Links and References
The following reference books were used by the author in the preparation of this course:
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials www.transportation.com
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
