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Hill Gradient Formula:
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Hill gradient is a measure of the steepness of a slope, expressed as a percentage. In the UK context, it's commonly used for road planning, cycling routes, hiking trails, and civil engineering projects to assess slope difficulty and safety.
The calculator uses the standard gradient formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the ratio of vertical rise to horizontal run, multiplied by 100 to convert to percentage format commonly used in the UK.
Details: Accurate gradient calculation is essential for road safety standards, cycling route planning, hiking difficulty assessment, drainage design, and construction projects where slope stability is crucial.
Tips: Enter rise and run values in meters. Both values must be positive numbers. The calculator will compute the gradient percentage automatically.
Q1: What is considered a steep gradient in the UK?
A: In UK road standards, gradients above 10% are considered steep, while gradients above 20% are very steep and may require special design considerations.
Q2: How does gradient affect cycling?
A: For cycling, gradients below 5% are manageable for most riders, 5-8% are challenging, and above 8% are considered difficult, especially for loaded touring.
Q3: What's the difference between gradient and angle?
A: Gradient is expressed as percentage (rise/run × 100), while angle is in degrees. A 45° angle equals 100% gradient.
Q4: Are there UK regulations for maximum gradients?
A: Yes, UK highway design standards typically limit maximum gradients to 10% for major roads and 12-15% for minor roads, depending on the road classification.
Q5: How accurate should my measurements be?
A: For most practical purposes, measurements to the nearest 0.1 meter provide sufficient accuracy. For engineering projects, more precise measurements may be required.