Technological University of the Philippines

Taguig City Campus

OFFICE OF THE FACULTY OF THE
CIVIL ENGINEERING SECTION

ELEMENTARY SURVEYING
LABORATORY MANUAL

FIELD EXERCISE NO. 5

LAYING OUT AN EASEMENT CURVE

I. OBJECTIVE
- To be able to lay out an easement curve as well as determining the value of each key spiral,
circular curve components, and the stationing of TS, SC, CS, and ST.

II. MATERIALS/TOOLS/INSTRUMENTS
- Total Station
- Marking Pins
- Chalks
- Measuring Tape
- Leveling Rod

III. SKETCH
IV. PROCEDURE

1. To set up TS and ST, level the Total Station in the Point of Interserction (PI) with the
stationing of 11+066.18. The instrument man must sight the back tangent and
measure the tangent distance to show the TS and its station value.
2. To layout the first spiral from TS to SC, the instrument at TS pointing on the Point of
Intersection (PI) must be set up with 0°00’ on the horizontal circle. Examine if the
angle to the ST is equal to the half of I which is 16°44’. Diminish the first deflection
angle from 360° and the remainder is established on the horizontal circle. The
standard spiral chord length from TS must be measured and the spiral station must be
set. Establish the circular arc from SC to CS. Level the instrument at SC and sight the
TS with the Total Station in reverse position. Rotate the telescope until 0°00’ is read
on the horizontal circle to sight along the tangent to the circular arc. Diminish the first
deflection angle from 360° and the remainder must be set on the horizontal circle also.
The standard spiral chord length from SC must be measured and a stake is set on line.
Mark the station.
3. To establish the second spiral from ST to CS, the instrument must be set up at the ST
pointing at the Point of Intersection with 0°00’ on the horizontal circle. Using the
deflection angles in reverse order and the standard spiral chord length, the spiral
stations must be established.
4. If errors occur, regulate the circular arc chords from SC to the CS.

V. FIELD DATA

DATA VALUES

Stationing at PI 11 + 066.18

D 5°

v 65 kph
I 16°44′
VI. COMPUTATIONS

GIVEN VALUES:

𝐷 = 5°
V = 65 kph
I = 16°44′
𝑃𝐼 is at station 11 + 066.18’

a.) COMPUTE FOR THE

LENGTH OF THE SPIRAL SOLVE FOR A:
CURVE: Use the formula:
Use the formula: 𝑋𝑐
tan 𝜃𝑠 = 𝑎
0.036𝑣 3
𝐿𝑠 = tan (5°24’) =
1.35𝑚
𝑅
𝑎
0.036(65)3
𝐿𝑠 = a = 14.28m
229.18

𝐿𝑠 = 43.14m
d.) COMPUTE FOR THE

b.) COMPUTE FOR THE RADIUS LENGTH OF LONG

OF THE SIMPLE CURVE: TANGENT:

Use the formula: Use the formula:

3600 𝐿𝑇 = 𝑌𝑐 – 𝑎
𝑅= 𝜋𝐷
LT = 43.10m – 14.28m
3600
𝑅 = 𝜋(5°)
LT = 28.82m
𝑅 = 229.18𝑚
e.) COMPUTE FOR THE
c.) COMPUTE FOR THE LENGTH OF SHORT
LENGTH OF THROW: TANGENT:
Use the formula: Use the formula:
𝑋𝑐
p= ST = 𝑋𝑐sinθ𝑠
4
1.35𝑚
1.35𝑚 ST =
p= 4
sin 5° 24′

p = 0.3375m ST = 14.35m
f.) COMPUTE FOR THE OFFSET i.) COMPUTE FOR THE
CENTRAL ANGLE OF THE
DISTANCE FROM TANGENT
SIMPLE CURVE:
TO SC:
Use the formula:
Use the formula:
𝐿𝑠3 𝐼 = 𝐼𝑐 + 2𝜃𝑐
XC = 6𝑅𝐿𝑠
(43.14m)3
𝐼𝑐 = 𝐼 − 2𝜃𝑐
XC = 6(229.18𝑚)(43.14𝑚)
𝐼𝑐 = 5°56′
XC = 1.35m

g.) COMPUTE FOR THE j.) COMPUTE FOR THE

DISTANCE ALONG THE TANGENT DISTANCE OF
TANGENT FROM TS TO THE SIMPLE CURVE:
POINT AT RIGHT ANGLE TO
Use the formula:
SC:
𝐼
Use the formula: 𝑇 = 𝑅 tan ( )
2

𝐿5 5°56′
YC = L – [40 (𝑅𝐿𝑠2)] 𝑇 = (229.18m) tan ( 2
)

YC = (43.14m) – 𝑇 = 11.88𝑚
(43.14𝑚)5
[ ]
[(40) (229.18𝑚) (43.14𝑚)2 ]

YC = 43.10m k.) COMPUTE FOR THE

LENGTH OF THE SIMPLE
CURVE:
h.) COMPUTE FOR THE SPIRAL Use the formula:
ANGLE FROM TANGENT TO
2𝜋𝑅𝐼
SC: L = ( 360° )

Use the formula: 𝜋(229.18𝑚)(5°56′)

L=[ ]
180°
𝐿𝑆 2 180°
𝜃𝑠 = (2𝑅𝐿 ) ( )
𝑠 𝜋 L = 23.73m
(43.14𝑚)2 180°
𝜃𝑠 = [2 (229.18𝑚)(43.14𝑚)] ( )
𝜋

𝜃𝑠 = 5°24’
SOLVE FOR Z SOLVE FOR TS
𝐿𝑠 𝐼
z = (2) TS = (𝑅 + 𝑃) tan (2) + 𝑧

43.14𝑚 TS = (229.18m + 0.3375m) tan

z=( )
2 16°44′
( ) + 21.57m
2
z = 21.57m
TS = 55.33m

COMPUTATIONS FOR THE STATIONING

DETERMINE THE STATION AT TS:

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑇𝑆 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑃𝐼−𝑇𝑠

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑇𝑆 = 11, 066.18m – 55.33m

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑇𝑆 = 11 + 010.85

DETERMINE THE STATIONING AT SC

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝐶 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑇𝑆 + LS

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝐶 = 11, 010.85m + 43.14m

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝐶 = 11 + 053.99

STATIONING AT CS

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝐶𝑆 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝐶 + LC

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝐶𝑆 = 11, 053.99m + 23.73m

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝐶𝑆 = 11 + 077.72

DETERMINE THE STATIONING AT ST

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝑇 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 CS + LS

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝑇 = 11, 077.72m + 43.14m

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝑇 = 11 + 120.86
 COMPUTATIONS FOR OTHER ELEMENTS:
COMPUTATION FOR THE CHORD FROM TS TO SC:

𝐶𝑎 = 2𝑅 sin 𝛿𝑎

𝐶𝑎 = 2(229.18) sin (5°24′)

𝐶𝑎 = 43.14𝑚

COMPUTATION FOR THE CHORD FORM SC TO CS

𝐶𝑎 = 2𝑅 sin 𝛿𝑎

𝐶𝑎 = 2(229.18) * (sin (5°56′) / 2)

𝐶𝑎 = 23.72𝑚

VII. CONCLUSION
SUMMARY TABLE OF THE ELEMENTS OF AN EASEMENT CURVE:

KEY SPIRAL AND CIRCULAR CURVE

VALUE
COMPONENTS
Length of Spiral 43.14m
Radius of Simple Curve 229.18m
Length of Throw 0.3375m
Length of Long Tangent 28.82m
Length of Short Tangent 14.35m
Offset distance from Tangent to SC 1.35m
Distance along the tangent from TS to point at the right
43.10m
angle to SC
Spiral Angle from tangent to SC 5° 24’
Central Angle of the simple curve 5° 56’
Tangent distance of the simple curve 11.88m
Length of the Simple Curve 23.73m
STATION TS 11 + 010.85
STATION SC 11 + 053.99
STATION CS 11 + 077.72
STATION ST 11 + 120.86

After conducting this activity, I was able to learn to locate or compute for points using
angles, distances, and other elements of an easement curve. Since a spiral is a curve with
varying radius and provides a transition from tangent to a simple curve, it is more complex
than the rest of the horizontal curves since there are more elements to compute. Also, I fully
understood that it is really important to indicate the stationing in the beginning of the project
until the endpoint.