CURVES

Curves are regular bends provided in the lines

of communication like roads, railways and
canals etc. to bring about gradual change of
direction.

1
 CURVES B

They enable
vehicle to pass
the
T2
from one path on to T1

when the two

another A C
meet at an angle. They
paths
are also used in
the
vertical plane at all
ofgrade theto O
Fig 1. A CURVE
changes abrupt
avoid of grade at the
change
apex.
2
HORIZONTAL
CURVES
Curves provided in the horizontal plane to have
the gradual change in direction are known as
horizontal curves.

VERTICAL CURVES
Curves provided in the vertical plane to obtain
the gradual change in grade are called as
vertical curves.

3
4
5
NEED OF PROVIDING
CURVES
Curves are needed on Highways, railways and canals
for bringing about gradual change of direction of
motion. They are provided for following reasons:-
i) To bring about gradual change in
direction of motion.
ii) To bring about gradual change in grade and for
good visibility.
iii) To alert the driver so that he may not fall asleep.
iv) To layout Canal alignment.
v) To control erosion of canal banks by the thrust
of flowing water in a canal.
6
CLASSIFICATION OF CIRCULAR CURVES
Circular curves are classified as :

(i) Simple Curves.

(ii) Compound Curves.

(iii) Reverse Curves.

7
 B
i) Simple Curve:
A simple
curve Consists of T1
T2

a single arc of A C
circle connecting R R
two straights
lines.
O

In this curve Fig. 2. A SIMPLE CURVE

radius of curve is
same throughout
8
ii) COMPOUND
CURVE
M T1 P N

R1
O1
R2
Fig.3 Compound Curve
A
C
O2

A compound Curve consists of two or more

simple curves having different radii bending
in the same direction and lying on the same
side of the common tangent.
Their centres lie on the same side of the
curve.
9
iii) REVERSE CURVE

A reverse curve is made up of two arcs

having equal or different radii bending B
in opposite direction with a common O2 R2
tangent at their junction. T2
R2
Their centre lie on the opposite sides of
curve M p N

Radii may be same or different T1

R1
Reverse curves are provided when lines R1
A
are parllel or intersect at very small
angle O1
Fig. 4. A Reverse Curve.

10
REVERSE CURVE B
O2
They are commonly used T2

in railway sidings and

some times on railway M
P
N
track or highways meant
for low speed T1

These should be avoided A

O1
where speed is higher

Fig.5 A Reverse Curve.

11
 B’

B φ

I
F
T1 E T2

A C

R φ/2
φ

SIMPLE CIRCULAR
CURVE
13
 Important Defination

1) Tangents :- Straight lines before and after the

curve is called tangents
B’
2. Backward Tangent : - straight line before starting
B φ
of curve ( AT1 )
I
F
3. Forward tangent : - Straight line just after the
T1 E T2
curve ( T2C ) A C
4. Point of Intersection : - poitn where backward R φ/
2 φ
tangent and forward tangent intersect.
5. Point of curve :- Point where curve begins ( T1)

6. Point of tangency :- Point where curve ends ( T2)

 Important Defination

7) Intersection Angle (φ) :- Angle B’BC i.e. angle

between forward tangent produced and backward
tangent
8) Tangent Distance (T) : - This is the distance of
B’
point of curve or point of tangency from point of
B φ
intersection i.e T= T1B = BT2
I
9) External Distance ( E) : - This is the distance N
T1 M T2
between mind point of curve to point of
A C
intersection i.e. E = NB R φ/2
φ
 Important Defination
B’
10) Length of Curve (L) : - It is the total length of
B φ
curve from point of curve to point of tangency.
I
11) Long Chord : - It is the longest chord joining N
T1 M T2
Point of curve to point of tangency.
A C
12) Right Hand curve : - If a curve deflects to right φ/2
R
hand in direction of motion then it is called right φ

hand curve
13) Left hand Curve : - If a curve deflects to its left
in the direction of motion then it is called left hand
curve
Designation of Curve
Degree of sharpness of a curve is
designated either by its radius or
by its degree of curvature. First
system is used in UK while second
system is adopted in US, Canada
and India

Degree of curvature : -
a. Arc Definition : - central angle
of the curve subtended by an
arc of 100 m length ( Generally
used in highways
Designation of Curve
b. Chord Definition : - central
angle of the curve subtended by
a chord of 100 m length
Generally used in Railways
ELEMENTS of a Simple Circular
Curve
(i) Angle of intersection +Deflection angle =
1800.
or I + φ = 1800

(ii) └ T1OT2 = 1800 - I = φ

i.e the central angle = deflection angle.

(iii)Tangent length = BT1 =BT2= OT1 tan φ/2

= R tan φ/2 19
ELEMENTS of a Simple Circular
Curve
(iv) Length of long chord =2T1E
=2R sin φ/2
(v) Length of curve = Length
R X φof arc
(in T1FT2
radians)
(vi) Apex distance = πR φ/1800
= BF = BO – OF
= R sec. φ/2 -R

= R (1 – cos φ/2 )=R versine

φ/2
20
DESIGNATION OF CURVE
A curve may be designated either by
the radius or by the angle subtended at the
centre by a chord of particular length.
a curve is designated by the angle (in
degrees) subtended at the centre by a chord of
30 metres (100 ft.) length. This angle is called
the degree of curve (D).
The degree of the curve indicates the
sharpness of the curve.

21
DESIGNATION OF CURVES.

In English practice , a curve is defined

by the radius of the curve in terms of chains,
such as a six chain curve means a curve having
radius equal to six full chains, chain being 30
metres unless otherwise specified.
In America,Canada,India and some
other countries a curve is designated by the
degree of the curve

22
RELATION between the Radius of curve and
Degree of Curve.
The relation between the radius M P N
and the degree of the curve may
be determined as follows:-
D
R R
Let R = the radius of the curve in metres. D/2
D= the degree of the curve.
MN = the chord, 30m long.
P= the mid-point of the chord. O
Degree of Curve
In OMP,OM=R,
MP=
½ MN
=15m
MOP=D/2 PTO
Then, sin D/2=MP/OM= 15/R 23
RELATION between the Radius of curve and
Degree of Curve.
Then,sin D/2=MP/OM= 15/R M P N
Or R = 15 (Exact)
sin D/2
But when D is small, sin D/2 may be D
R R
assumed approximately equal to
D/2
D/2 in radians.
Therefore:
R = O
15 X Degree of Curve
360
πDD
Or say ,=  This relation holds good up to 50
1718.87
R = 1719
D curves.For higher degree curves
(Approximate) the exact relation should be used.
24
METHODS OF CURVE RANGING
A curve may be set out
(1) By linear Methods, where chain and tape
are used or
(2) By Angular or instrumental methods,
where a theodolite with or without a chain is
used.
Before starting setting out a curve by any
method, the exact positions of the tangents
points between which the curve lies ,must be
determined. Following procedure is adopted:-

25
METHODS OF SETTING OUT A CURVE
Procedure :-
i) After fixing the directions of the straights,
produce them to meet in point (B)
ii) Set up the Theodolite at the intersection
point (B) and measure the angle of
intersection (I) .Then find the deflection
angle ( φ ) by subtracting (I) from 1800 i.e
φ=1800 – I.
iii) Calculate the tangent length from the
following equation
Tangent length = R tanφ/2
26
METHODS OF SETTING OUT A CURVE
Procedure :-

iv) Measure the tangent length (BT1)

backward along the rear tangent BA from
the intersection point B, thus locating the
position of T1.

vi) Similarly, locate the position of T2 by

measuring the same distance forward
along the forward tangent BC from B.

27
METHODS OF SETTING OUT A CURVE
Procedure (contd…) :-
After locating the positions of the tangent
points T1 and T2 ,their chainages may be
determined. The chainage of T1 is obtained by
subtracting the tangent length from the known
chainage of the intersection point B. And the
chainage of T2 is found by adding the length of
curve to the chainage of T1.
Then the pegs are fixed at equal intervals
on the curve.The interval between pegs is
usually 30m or one chain length.
28
 METHODS OF SETTING OUT A CURVE
Procedure (contd…) :-
This distance should actually be measured along
the arc ,but in practice it is measured along
the chord ,as the difference between the chord
and the corresponding arc is small and hence
negligible. In order that this difference is
always small and negligible ,the length of the
chord should not be more than 1/20th of the
radius of the curve. The curve is then obtained
by joining all these pegs.

29
METHODS OF SETTING OUT A CURVE
Procedure (contd…) :-
The distances along the centre line of the
curve are continuously measured from the
point of beginning of the line up to the end .i.e
the pegs along the centre line of the work
should be at equal interval from the beginning
of the line up to the end. There should be no
break in the regularity of their spacing in
passing from a tangent to a curve or from a
curve to the tangent. For this reason ,the first
peg on the curve is fixed
30
 METHODS OF SETTING OUT A CURVE
Procedure (contd…) :-
at such a distance from the first tangent point (T1)
that its chainage becomes the whole number of
chains i.e the whole number of peg interval. The
length of the first sub chord is thus less than the
peg interval and it is called a sub-chord. Similarly
there will be a sub-chord at the end of the curve.
Thus a curve usually consists of two sub-chords
and a no. of full chords.

31
LINEAR METHODS of setting out Curves

The following are the methods of setting out

simple circular curves by the use of chain
and tape :-
(i) By offsets from the tangents.
(ii) By successive bisection of arcs.
(iii) By offsets from chords
produced.

32
LINEAR METHODS of setting out Curves
1. By offsets from the tangents. When the
deflection angle and the radius of the
curve both are small, the curves are set out
by offsets from the tangents.
Offsets are set out either
(i) radially or
(ii) perpendicular to the
according
tangents
as the centre of the curve
is accessible or inaccessible

33
LINEAR METHODS of setting out
Curves
B’ B φ

P Ox
x
P1
T2
T1 90
0

A C

Fig. By Radial Offsets

34
LINEAR METHODS of setting out
Curves
B’ Offsets is given by :

Ox = R2 +x2 – R …….. (Exact

relation.) When the radius is large ,the
offsets may be calculated by the
approximate formula which is as under
Ox = x2 ……… (Approximate ) 2R
By Radial Offsets

35
LINEAR METHODS of setting out
Curves
B
B’
P
Ox
x
P1
T1 T2

A
P2
B

(ii) By offsets perpendicular to the Tangents

36
LINEAR METHODS of setting out Curves
1. (ii) By offsets perpendicular to the
Tangents

O x= R – R2 – x2 …………… (Exact)
Ox = x2 ……… (Approximate )
2R

37
LINEAR METHODS of setting outCurves
By offsets from the tangents: Procedure

(i) Locate the tangent points T1 and T2.

(ii) Measure equal distances , say 15 or 30 m
along the tangent fro T1.

(iii) Set out the offsets calculated by any of

the above methods at each distance ,thus
obtaining the required points on the
curve.
38
LINEAR METHODS of setting outCurves
By offsets from the tangents: Procedure….
(iv) Continue the process until the apex of
the curve is reached.
(v) Set out the other half of the curve from
second tangent.
(vi) This method is suitable for setting out
sharp curves where the ground outside
the curve is favourable for chaining.

39
Example. Calculate the offsets at 20m intervals along
the tangents to locate a curve having a radius of
400m ,the deflection angle being 600 .

Solution . Given:
Radius of the curve ,R = 400m
Deflection angle, φ = 600
Therefore tangent length = R.
tan φ/2
=
40
0
x
ta
n
40
Radial offsets. (Exact method)
Ox= R2 + x2 - R …………… (Exact)

O20 = 4002+202 - 400 = 400.50 - 400 = 0.50 m

O40 = 4002+402 - 400 = 402.00 - 400 = 2.00 m

O60 = 4002+602 - 400 = 404.47 - 400 = 4.47 m

O80 = 4002+802 - 400 = 407.92 - 400 = 7.92 m

O100 = 4002+1002- 400 = 412.31 - 400 = 12.31

m

And so on…. 41
B) Perpendicular offsets (Exact
method)
…………… (Exact)
Ox = R – R2 – x2
O20 = 400 - 4002 - 202 = 400 -399.50 = 0.50 m

O40 = 400 - 4002 - 402 = 400 -398.00 = 2.00 m

O60 = 400 - 4002 - 602 = 400 -395.47 = 4.53 m

O80 = 400 - 4002 - 802 = 400 -391.92 =8.08 m

O100 = 400 - 4002 -1002 = 400 -387.30 =12.70 m

And so on…..
42
B) By the approximate Formula
(Both
O = radial and perpendicular offsets)
x
x2

Therefore 2R
O20 202 = 0.50 m
= 2x400
= 402 =
2x400
O40
= 602 2.00 m
O60
2x400
O = 802 =
80
2x 400
= 1002 4.50 m
O100
2 x 400
and so on…. =
43
44