Introduction

Use of curves, horizontal and vertical.

Types of horizontal curves: Circular and spiral.
We will cover circular curves only, spiral curves are
given for future reference.

Definitions:
Horizontal Curves: curves used in horizontal planes to
connect two straight tangent sections.
Simple Curve: circular arc connecting two tangents. The
most common
Spiral Curve: a curve whose radius decreases uniformly
from infinity at the tangent to that of the curve it meets.







Compound Curve: a curve which is composed of two or
more circular arcs of different radii tangent to each other,
with centers on the same side of the alignment.
Broken-Back Curve: the combination of short length of
tangent (less than 100 ft) connecting two circular arcs that
have centers on the same side.
Reverse Curve: Two circular arcs tangent to each other,
with their centers on opposite sides of the alignment.
Easement Curves: curves used to lessen the effect of the sudden change
in curvature at the junction of either a tangent and a curve, or of two
curves.





Super elevation: a difference of elevation between the edges of the
cross section, to overcome the effect of centrifugal force. Changes
gradually in a spiral curve, inversely proportion to the radius.

When to Use What
Simple circular curves are the most common type.
Spirals are used at highway exits, sometimes, and all the times in
railroad curves.

The rest of curves are used when the designer has to.


Degree of Circular Curve
Curves are identified either by:
Radius: 1000-m radius
Degree of Curve (D): central angle subtended by a 100ft:
circular arc (in arc definition), or chord in chord definition.

The arc definition is commonly used in highways, chord definition
is commonly used in railroads.
In arc definition, D =
5729.58
R
In chord definition, D =
50
R
2 sin
-1
( )
degrees, R in ft.
Pay attention to units, we will use ft for length, how about angles?
Circular Curves Notations
Definitions:
Point of intersection (vertex) PI, back and forward tangents.
Point of Curvature PC, beginning of the curve
Point of Tangency PT, end of the Curve.
Tangent Distance T: Distance from PC, or PT to PI
Long Chord LC: the line connecting PC and PT
Length of the Curve L: distance for PC to PT:
measured along the curve, arc definition.
measured along the 100 chords, chord definition
External Distance E: The length from PI to curve midpoint.
Middle ordinate M: the radial distance between the midpoints of the
long chord and curve.
POC: any point on the curve.
POT: any point on tangent
Intersection Angle I: the change of direction of the two tangents,
equal to the central angle subtended by the curve.


Circular Curves Formulas
Remember that : R is radius, perpendicular to the tangents at PC, and PT
D is the curve degree, use ARC definition.
L = 100
I
D
ft, D and I in same units. =
I
D
(sta) = R I I in rad
R =
5729.58
D
(ft)
LC = 2R sin(
I
2
) T = R tan(
I
2
)
E = R[
1
cos (I/2)
- 1]
M = R
(
1 - cos
I
2
)
E = T tan(
I
4
)
M = E cos
I
2
Circular Curve Stationing
--Route Survey are usually staked out as a series of tangents having
continuous stations. The station of the PI and the value of (I) are
determined.
Stations of PC, and PT are computed from PI, R is given by designers:

Compute

Station of PC = station of PI - T
Station of PT = station of PC + L
Station equations at PT: the route considering the curve is shorter
than it was computed considering the tangents.
= (station of PI + T) - (station of PC + L)
This amount should be subtracted from stations of all the points
after PT.
T = R tan(
I
2
)
Circular Curves Layout by Deflection
Angles with a Total Station or an EDM

All stations will be positioned from PC.
Compute the chord length and the deflection angle from the direction
PC-PI as follows: (see fig 25-6)










Example
d
a
=
S
a
D
200
(degrees)
Where:
d
a
= D
S
a 100
or, d
a
=
S
a
D
100
Theory; the angle between the tangent and a chord is equal to half the
central angle subtended by the chord, so get d
a
Also, sin d
a
=
C
a
2R
from which C
a
= 2R sin d
a
C
a
= 2R sin d
a
In a curve whose I = 8 24, station of PC is
62+ 17.08, D = 2 00, calculate the necessary
information to stake out points at stations
63+00, 64+00, and at the PT.

Answer:
.. a= Sa D/200 deg, and Ca = 2R sin a
.. At station 63+00, Sa = 6300 6217.08 = 82.92 ft
then, = (82.92) (2)/200 = 0.8292 = 00 49 45
C= 2 (5729.58/2) sin(00 49 45) = 82.92 ft
At station 64+00, Sa = 182.92 ft
Then = (182.92) (2)/200 = 1.8292 = 1 49 45
C = 2 (5729.58/2) sin(1 49 45) = 182.89 ft
At the PT: Sa = ?, and Ca = ?


PI (V)
PC
T
C
Circular Curve Layout by
Coordinates with a Total Station
Given: Coordinates and station of PI, a point from which the curve
could be
observed, a direction (azimuth) from that point, AZ
PI-PC
, and curve
info.
Required: coordinates of curve points (stations or parts of stations)
and the data to lay them out.
{this topic and all the following until sight distance is mentioned
for future reference and will not be covered.}
Solution: - from X
PI
, Y
PI
, T, AZ
PI-PC
, compute X
PC
, Y
PC

- compute the length of chords and the deflection angles.
- use the deflection angles and AZ
PI-PC
, compute the azimuth
of each chord.
- knowing the azimuth and the length of each chord, compute
the coordinates of curve points.
- for each curve point, knowing its coordinates and the total
station point, compute the azimuth and the length of the
line connecting them.
- at the total station point, subtract the given direction from the
azimuth to each curve point, get the orientation angle.
Intersection of a circular curve
and a straight line
Form the line and the circle equations, solve them
simultaneously to get the intersection point.

Intersection of two Circular Curves

simultaneously solve the two circle equations.
PI (V)
PC
T
C
Horizontal Curves
The Degree of Curve is defined as the angle subtended by an arc whose length
is 100 ft.
A Radian is the angle subtended by an arc whose length equals the length of the
Radius, or
57 17 44.8 , or 57.295779513.
Pi = = 3.1415926
Circumference = 2R
Degrees in a circle = 360
Radius of a one degree curve = 5729.5779513 ft.
D = Degree of Curve.
R = Radius of the curve.
= Delta, the central angle of the curve.
= Alpha, the deflection angle to the point to be set.
Horizontal Curves
= 20
R = 440m
PI =0 + 241.700
Angle of deflection for highway construction for the circular curve at
30m interval stations


= 20
R = 440m
PI =0 + 241.700

Tangent=R*tan ( /2)= 77.584m

CH A1 = CH PI Tangent= 164.116m

Curve Length = ( /360)*2R = 153.589m

CH A3 = CH A1 + Curve Length = 317.705m














POINT LENGTH CHAINAGE BEARING
A1 164.116
1 170 5.884 0 22 59
2 200 35.884 2 20 11
3 230 65.884 4 17 22
4 260 95.884 6 14 35
5 290 125.884 8 11 47
A3 317.705 153.589 10
Bearing = ((1718.9/R)*Chainage)/60