Iowa Department of Transportation Office of Design

2A-1
Design Manual Chapter 2 Alignments
Originally Issued: 09-22-00 Revised: 04-15-10

Horizontal Curves

This section provides information relevant to horizontal curves. Horizontal curves are used to join intersecting straight lines (or tangents). Simple horizontal curves are preferred for their ease of computation and staking. However, situations often arise when a compound horizontal curve better suits a given design situation, such as turning movements for many design vehicles are best represented by compound horizontal curves.

Simple Horizontal Curves

A simple circular curve is a constant radius arc used to join two tangents. components of a simple horizontal curve. Figure 1 shows the

Figure 1: Components of a simple horizontal curve

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Chapter 2Alignments

Section 2A-1Horizontal Curves

Compound Horizontal Curves

Compound horizontal curves consist of two curves joined at a point of tangency and located on the same side of a common tangent. Though their radii are in the same direction, they are of different values. The most commonly used compound horizontal curve designs are two-centered and three-centered. Figure 2 illustrates two- and three-centered compound horizontal curves. It is possible for a curve to have four or more centers; however, these are complicated to compute and stake. Three curves should be considered a practical limit for compound horizontal curves.

Figure 2: Components of two- and three-centered compound horizontal curves.

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Chapter 2Alignments

Section 2A-1Horizontal Curves

Definitions
PI = Point of Intersection of back tangent and forward tangent. PC = Point of Curvature. This is the point of change from back tangent to circular curve. PCC = Point of Compound Curvature for compound horizontal curves. PT = Point of Tangency. This is the point of change from circular curve to forward tangent. LC = Total chord length, or long chord, from PC to PT in feet for the circular curve. D = Degree of curvature. Used with English units only. The central angle which subtends a 100 foot arc, see Figure 1. The degree of curvature is determined by the appropriate design speed. = Intersection (or delta) angle between back and forward tangents. I = Total intersection angle of a compound horizontal curve. fl = Intersection angle (decimal degrees) of the flattest curve of a compound horizontal curve. md = Intersection angle (decimal degrees) of the middle curve of a compound horizontal curve. sh = Intersection angle (decimal degrees) of the sharpest curve of a compound horizontal curve. T = Tangent distance in feet. The distance between the PC and PI or the PI and PT. TL = Long Tangent of a compound horizontal curve. TS = Short Tangent of a compound horizontal curve. X = Distance from PC to PT of a compound horizontal curve in the direction of the backward tangent. Y = Perpendicular distance of a compound horizontal curve from the backward tangent to the PT. L = Total length in feet of the circular curve from PC to PT measured along its arc. E = External distance (radial distance) in feet from PI to the mid-point of the circular curve. R = Radius of the circular curve measured in feet. The radius is determined by the appropriate design speed: Sections 1C-1, 2A-2, and 2A-3 of this manual provide further information, or refer to AASHTOs A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets. Rfl = Radius of the flattest curve of a compound horizontal curve. Rmd = Radius of the middle curve of a compound horizontal curve. Rsh = Radius of the sharpest curve of a compound horizontal curve. = Deflection angle from a tangent to a point on the circular curve. /2 = Deflection angle for full circular curve measured from tangent at PC or PT. C = Chord length in feet, where a chord is defined as a straight line connecting any two points on a curve. S = Arc length in feet along a curve. MO = Middle ordinate. Length of the ordinate from the middle of the curve to the LC.

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Chapter 2Alignments

Section 2A-1Horizontal Curves

Formulas
18000 R 180 L = R R L= 180 180 L R= T = R tan 2

D=

(D in decimal degrees, English units only) ( in decimal degrees) ( decimal in degrees) ( in decimal degrees) ( in decimal degrees) ( in decimal degrees) ( in decimal degrees) ( in decimal degrees) ( in decimal degrees)

E = T tan 4

LC = 2 R sin 2
MO = R 1 cos 2 C = 2 R sin 2 R C S= arcsin 90 2R

Two-centered compound curves

I = fl + sh X = Rsh sin(I) + (Rfl Rsh) sin(fl) Y = Rfl Rsh cos(I) (Rfl Rsh) cos(fl) TL = TS =
R sh R fl cos(I) + (R fl R sh ) cos( sh ) sin(I) R fl R sh cos(I) (R fl R sh ) cos( fl ) sin(I)
TL + TS cos(I) R sh sin(I) R fl R sh R fl sin(I) TL cos(I) TS R fl R sh

sin fl = sin sh =

Three-centered compound curves

I = fl + md + sh X = (R fl R md ) sin( fl ) + (R md R sh ) sin( fl + md ) + R sh sin(I) Y = R fl R sh cos(I) (R fl R md ) cos( fl ) (R md R sh ) cos( fl + md ) TL = TS =
R sh R fl cos(I) + (R fl R md ) cos( md + sh ) + (R md R sh ) cos( sh ) sin(I) R fl R sh cos(I) (R fl R md ) cos( fl ) (R md R sh ) cos( fl + md ) sin(I)
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Chapter 2Alignments

Section 2A-1Horizontal Curves

Design Considerations
Several items must be considered in the process of designing a horizontal curve. Of particular importance are: Design speed. Rate of superelevation. Stopping sight distance. Appearance. Sections 2A-2, 2A-3, and 6D-4 of this manual provide additional guidance on the design of horizontal curves. AASHTOs A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets provides a comprehensive guide to the design of horizontal curves.

Plan Curve Data

Provide the following Curve Data on the plan and profile sheets for each horizontal curve: , R, T, L, and E. Horizontal curve data for edge returns should not be shown on the intersection plan views in the L sheets. Superelevation data should be included with the plan curve data. The designer should not include the design speed of a horizontal curve on the plan sheets. Curve data, superelvation data, and coordinates of each control point should be shown within the G sheets on tabulations 101-16 and 101-17. This includes horizontal curves for the edge returns. See Design Manual Section 21B-58 for details on filling tabulations 101-16 and 101-17. Horizontal curve data and superelevation data should be displayed in the following order on plan sheets: = T= L= R= E= e= L= x=

Redefining English Curves for Use in Metric Projects

When a metric alignment incorporates a previously defined English horizontal curve, how it will be redefined in metric is determined by whether the curve will be defined from a previous English survey or defined by office relocation. When a metric curve is defined from a previous English survey, a soft conversion is used. For example, a 3-degree English curve would have assigned to it a radius of 582.125 meters. This is accomplished by first converting the curve from degree of curvature to radius in feet (using the equation on page 2), and then soft converting to metric units (conversion factor = 0.3048). When a metric curve is defined by office relocation, a hard conversion is used with an increment of 5 meters. After the radius of a curve has been determined, then the length is determined. Table 1 demonstrates this. The P.I. of a curve remains constant, thus it is always soft converted. When soft converted, P.I. STA 302+68.57 (English) becomes P.I. STA 92+25.879 (metric) (US survey conversion factor = 12/39.37). Note that the metric curve distances are given to the closest 0.001 meter. Table 1: Converting English Horizontal Curve to Metric
English curve P. I. = STA 302+68.57 = 12 30' D = 3 00', R = 1909.86 ft. L = 416.67' Using Previous Survey P. I. = STA 92+25.879 = 12 30' R = 582.125 m L = 127.000 m
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Using Office Relocation P. I. = STA 92+25.879 = 12 30' R = 580.000 m L = 126.536 m

Chronology of Changes to Design Manual Section:

002A-001

Horizontal Curve Design

4/15/2010 Revised Tochangethetitle,includeinformationfrom2A4Compound HorizontalCurveDesign,updategraphicsandhavetheissuedate reflectithasbeenrecentlyreviewed.