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Lecture 08
Prepared by
Rocksana Akter
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
DUET, Gazipur
 Set Back Distance:
•Set back distance is the distance from centre of
‘ horizontal curve to an obstruction on inner side
of the curve.
•Set back distance is required to provide
adequate sight distance on the horizontal curve.
•Obstruction to the sight distance on horizontal
curve may be buildings, trees, cut slopes on the
inner side of curve.
2
•On narrow road, the sight distance is measured
along the centre line of road.
‘
•On wider road, the sight distance is measured
along the centre line of inner side lane.
• Set back distance depends on:
a. Required sight distance, S
b. Radius of horizontal curve, R
c. Length of the curve, Lc
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 Analysis of Set back distance:
• Two cases are considered for the analysis:
‘ a. When length of curve is more than Sight
distance (Lc>S)
b. When length of curve is less than Sight distance

(Lc<S)
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 Case I:When Lc>S:
• For narrow Road:
‘
Set back distance (m) for narrow road is given by:
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• For wider Road:
Set back distance (m) for wider road is given by:
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where,
α =angle subtended by the arc
m=set back distance, m
R=radius of curve, m
S=Sight Distance, m
d=distance between centre line of road
and centre line of inner lane
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 Case II:When Lc<S:
• For narrow Road:
‘
Set back distance (m) for narrow road is given by:
12
C
B’
A’
D1
St.
portion
A E D2 F B
13
• For wider Road:
Set back distance (m) for wider road is given by:
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Example: Find out the available setback from an obstruction
for 4 degree horizontal curve where sight distance required is
350 m (550 m). The length of the curve is 600 m (400 m).
Vertical Alignment:
• The vertical alignment is the elevation or profile
‘
of the centre line of the road.
•The vertical alignment consists of grades and
vertical curves.
• The vertical alignment of a highway influences:
i. Vehicle speed
ii. Acceleration and deceleration
iii. Sight distance
iv. Vehicle operation cost
v. Comfort while travelling at high speeds
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Gradients:
•Gradient is the rate of rise or fall along the
‘
length of road with respect to the horizontal.
•It is expressed as a ratio of 1 in n or also as

percentage such as n%.
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Types Of Gradients:
• Gradients are divided into four categories:
‘
a. Ruling gradient
b. Limiting gradient
c. Exceptional gradient
d. Minimum gradient
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a. Ruling gradient:
•Ruling gradient is the maximum gradient within
‘ which the designer attempts to design the vertical
profile of a road.
•Ruling gradient is also known as ‘Design
gradient’.
•For selection of ruling gradient factors such as
type of terrain, length of the grade, speed, pulling
power of vehicle etc are considered.
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b. Limiting gradient:
•Steeper than ruling gradient. In hilly roads, it may
‘
be frequently necessary to exceed ruling gradient
and adopt limiting gradient, it depends on
a. Topography
b. Cost in constructing the road
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c. Exceptional gradient:
•Exceptional gradient are very steeper gradients
given at unavoidable situations.
•They should be limited for short stretches not
exceeding about 100 m at a stretch.
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Type of terrain Ruling Limiting Exceptional
gradient gradient gradient
‘ Plain and rolling 3.3 % 5% 6.7 %

1 in 30 1 in20 1 in 15
Mountainous and steep having 5% 6% 7%

elevation more than 3000 m above 1 in20 1 in 16.7 1 in 14.3
MSL
Mountainous and steep having 6% 7% 8%

elevation more than 3000 m above 1 in 16.7 1 in 14.3 1 in 12.5
MSL
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d. Minimum gradient:
•This is important only at locations where surface
drainage is important.
• Camber will take care of the lateral drainage.
•But the longitudinal drainage along the side
drains require some slope for smooth flow of water.
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•Therefore minimum gradient is provided for
drainage purpose and it depends on the rainfall,
type of soil and other site conditions.
•A minimum of 1in500 may be sufficient for

concrete drain and 1in 200 or 1 in 100 for open soil
drains.
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Grade Compensation:
•When sharp horizontal curve is to be introduced
on a road which has already maximum permissible
gradient, then gradient should be decreased to
compensate for loss of tractive efforts due to curve.
•This reduction in gradient at horizontal curve is
called grade compensation.
Grade compensation, % = 30+R/R
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IRC gave the following specification for the
grade compensation:
1.Grade compensation is not required for grades
flatter than 4% because the loss of tractive force
is negligible.
2.The maximum grade compensation is limited
to 75/R%.
Compensated = ruling – grade

gradient gradient compensation
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Lecture 08

b. When length of curve is less than Sight distance

Set back distance (m) for narrow road is given by:

Set back distance (m) for wider road is given by:

Set back distance (m) for narrow road is given by:

Set back distance (m) for wider road is given by:

•It is expressed as a ratio of 1 in n or also as

b. Cost in constructing the road

‘ Plain and rolling 3.3 % 5% 6.7 %

Mountainous and steep having 5% 6% 7%

Mountainous and steep having 6% 7% 8%

•A minimum of 1in500 may be sufficient for

Grade compensation, % = 30+R/R

Compensated = ruling – grade

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