MODULE 9

Chapter 9
SPIRAL CURVE

Spiral Curves are used to aid the abrupt change in curvature and superelevation that
occurs between tangent and circular curve. The spiral curve is used to gradually change the
curvature and superelevation of the road, thus called transition curve or easement curve.

ELEMENTS OF CURVE

1. 𝑆. 𝐶. = 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒
2. 𝐶. 𝑆. = 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙
3. 𝑆. 𝑇. = 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡
4. 𝑇. 𝑆. = 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙
5. 𝑇𝑠 = 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
6. 𝐼 = 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒
7. 𝐼𝑐 = 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒
8. 𝑅𝑐 = 𝑅𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒
9. 𝑇𝑐 = 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒
10. 𝐷𝑐 = 𝐷𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒

1
 11. 𝐿. 𝑇. = 𝐿𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡
12. 𝑆. 𝑇. = 𝑆ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡
13. 𝐸𝑠 = 𝐸𝑥𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒
14. 𝐿. 𝐶. = 𝐿𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝐶ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
15. 𝑥𝑐 = 𝑂𝑓𝑓𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑆. 𝐶.
16. 𝑦𝑐 = 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑇. 𝑆. 𝑡𝑜 𝑆. 𝐶.
17. 𝑥 = 𝑜𝑓𝑓𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙
18. 𝑦 = 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑇. 𝑆. 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡
19. 𝑆𝑐 = 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑆. 𝐶.
20. 𝑆 = 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙
21. 𝑖𝑐 = 𝐷𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑆. 𝐶.
22. 𝑖 = 𝐷𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙, 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑠
𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
23. 𝐿𝑐 = 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒
24. 𝐿 = 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑇. 𝑆. 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙
25. 𝑃 = 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑤

SUMMARY OF FORMULAS
𝐿2 180
1. 𝑆 = 2𝑅 x 𝜋
𝑐 𝐿𝑐

𝐷𝑐 𝐿𝑐
2. 𝑆𝑐 = 40
(Arc Basis, Metric System)

𝐿 180
3. 𝑆𝑐 = 2𝑅𝑐 x 𝜋
𝑐

𝐿 2
4. 𝑥𝑐 = 6𝑅𝑐
𝑐

𝑥𝑐 𝐿3
5. 𝑥 = 𝐿𝑐 3

𝑆𝑐
6. 𝑖𝑐 = 3

𝑆
7. 𝑖 = 3

𝐿 3
8. 𝑦𝑐 = 𝐿𝑐 − 40𝑅𝑐 2
𝑐

𝐿5
9. 𝑦 = 𝐿 − 40𝑅 2𝐿 2
𝑐 𝑐

𝐿𝑐 𝑥𝑐 𝐼
10. 𝑇𝑠 = + (𝑅𝑐 + ) (tan )
2 4 2

𝑥 𝐼
11. 𝐸𝑠 = (𝑅𝑐 + 4𝑐 ) (sec 2) − 𝑅𝑐

12. 𝐼𝑐 = 𝐼 − 2𝑆𝑐

𝑥𝑐 𝐿 2
𝑐
13. 𝑃 = 4
= 24𝑅
𝑐

2
 0.0079𝐾2
14. 𝑒 = 𝑅𝑐
(𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐾 𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑘𝑃ℎ)

0.004𝐾2
15. 𝑒 =
𝑅𝑐

(𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐾 𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑘𝑃ℎ, 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 75% 𝑜𝑓 𝐾 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛)

0.036𝐾3
16. 𝐿𝑐 = 𝑅𝑐
(𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑙)

Example Problem 1:
Two tangents having azimuths of 240⁰ and 282⁰ are connected by an 80m spiral curve with a 6⁰
circular curve. The width of the roadway is 10m. If the design velocity is 60kph, determine the ff:
a. Super-elevation at quarter points
b. Deflection angle at the end point S.C.
c. External distance

Solution:

a. Super-elevation at quarter points

1145.916
𝑅𝑐 = 𝐷𝑐
1145.916
𝑅𝑐 = 6˚
𝑅𝑐 = 190.986𝑚
0.0079𝐾2
𝑒= 𝑅𝑐
0.0079(60)2
𝑒= = 0.149 𝑚⁄𝑚 𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑤𝑎𝑦
190.986
(superelevation at S.C.)

At Quarter Points
0.149𝑚 80
𝑒4 =
𝑚
(10𝑚) ( ) = 𝟏. 𝟒𝟗 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔
80
answer
0.149𝑚 60
𝑒3 =
𝑚
(10𝑚) ( ) = 𝟏. 𝟏𝟏𝟖 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔
80
answer
0.149𝑚 40
𝑒2 =
𝑚
(10𝑚) ( ) = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟒𝟓 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔
80
answer
0.149𝑚 20
𝑒1 =
𝑚
(10𝑚) ( ) = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟕𝟑 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔
80
answer

b. Deflection angle at the end point S.C.

𝑆𝑐
𝑖𝑐 =
3
𝐷𝑐 𝐿𝑐 (6)(80)
𝑆𝑐 = 40 = 40
= 12˚

3
 12
𝑖𝑐 = 3
𝒊𝒄 = 𝟒˚ answer

c. External distance

𝑥𝑐 𝐼
𝐸𝑠 = (𝑅𝑐 + ) (sec ) − 𝑅𝑐
4 2

𝑐 𝐿 2 1
𝐸𝑠 = (𝑅𝑐 + 24𝑅 ) (cos𝐼⁄ ) − 𝑅𝑐
𝑐 2

(80)2 1
𝐸𝑠 = [190.986 + 24(190.986)] ( ) − 190.986
cos42˚⁄2

𝑬𝒔 = 𝟏𝟓. 𝟎𝟖𝟑 𝒎 answer

Example Problem 2:
A simple curve having a radius of 280m connects two tangents intersecting at an angle of 58⁰. It is to
be replaced by another curve having 80m spirals at its ends such that the point of tangency shall be
the same. Determine the ff:
a. Radius of the new circular curve
b. Central angle of the circular curve
c. Distance that the curve will move nearer the vertex
d. Offset from the tangent at the end point of spiral
e. Distance along the tangent at the midpoint of the spiral

Solution:
a. Radius of the new circular curve

Since point of tangency will be the same,

tangent distance T of the simple curve is
equal to the tangent distance of spiral
curve Ts.
𝐼
𝑇 = 𝑅𝑡𝑎𝑛 2
58°
𝑇 = 280𝑡𝑎𝑛 2
𝑇 = 𝑇𝑠 = 155.207 𝑚
𝐿𝑐 𝑥𝑐 𝐼
𝑇𝑠 = 2
+ (𝑅𝑐 + 4
) (tan 2)

𝐿𝑐 𝑐 𝐿 2 𝐼
𝑇𝑠 = 2
+ (𝑅𝑐 + 24𝑅 ) (tan 2)
𝑐

80 802 58
155.207 = 2
+ (𝑅𝑐 + 24𝑅 ) (tan 2
)
𝑐

𝑹𝒄 = 𝟐𝟎𝟔. 𝟓𝟒𝟖𝒎 answer

4
b. Central angle of the circular curve

𝐼𝑐 = 𝐼 − 2𝑆𝑐
𝐿 180
𝑆𝑐 = 𝑐 x
2𝑅𝑐 𝜋
80 180
𝑆𝑐 = 2(206.548)
x 𝜋
𝑆𝑐 = 11.096°
𝐼𝑐 = 58° − 2(11.096°)
𝑰𝒄 = 𝟑𝟓. 𝟖𝟎𝟖° answer

c. Distance that the curve will move nearer the vertex

Since the distance of the vertex from the curve is

External distance, the distance that the curve will
move nearer the vertex will be the difference
between the external distance E of the simple curve
and the external distance Es of the spiral curve.

𝑑 = 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑥

𝑑 = 𝐸 − 𝐸𝑠
𝐼
𝐸 = 𝑅 (sec − 1)
2
58
𝐸 = 280 (sec 2
− 1)
𝐸 = 40.139𝑚

𝑐 𝐿 2 1
𝐸𝑠 = (𝑅𝑐 + 24𝑅 ) (cos𝐼⁄ ) − 𝑅𝑐
𝑐 2

(80)2 1
𝐸𝑠 = [206.548 + ]( ) − 206.548
24(206.548) cos58˚⁄2

𝐸𝑠 = 31.086 𝑚

𝑑 = 40.139 − 31.086
𝒅 = 𝟗. 𝟎𝟓𝟑 𝒎 answer

d. Offset from the tangent at the end point of

spiral
𝐿 2
𝑥𝑐 = 6𝑅𝑐
𝑐

802
𝑥𝑐 =
6(206.548)

𝒙𝒄 = 𝟓. 𝟔𝟏𝟒𝒎 answer

5
 e. Distance along the tangent at the midpoint of the spiral
𝐿5
𝑦=𝐿−
40𝑅𝑐 2 𝐿𝑐 2

𝐿𝑐⁄
𝐴𝑡 𝑚𝑖𝑑𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡, 𝐿 = 2 = 40𝑚

405
𝑦 = 40 −
40(206.548)2 (80)2

𝒚 = 𝟑𝟗. 𝟗𝟗𝟏𝒎 answer

Example Problem 3:
A spiral 80m long connects a tangent with a 6⁰30’ circular curve. If the stationing of the T.S. Is 10+000, determine
the ff:
a. The spiral angle at the first quarter point
b. The deflection angle at the end point of spiral
c. Offset from the tangent at the second quarter point of the spiral

Solution:

6
a. The spiral angle at the first quarter
point
𝐿2 180°
𝑆 = 2𝑅 𝐿
× 𝜋
𝑐 𝑐
1145.916 1145.916
𝑅𝑐 = 𝐷𝑐
= 6.5° =
176.295 𝑚
(20)2 180°
𝑆= ×
2(176.295)(80) 𝜋
𝑺 = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟏𝟐° answer

b. The deflection angle at the end point

of spiral
𝑆𝑐
𝑖𝑐 = 3

80 180°
𝑆𝑐 = 2(176.295) × 𝜋
= 13°

𝑆𝑐 13°
𝑖𝑐 = =
3 3
𝒊𝒄 = 𝟒. 𝟑𝟑𝟑° answer

c. Offset from the tangent at the second quarter point of the spiral
𝑥𝑐 𝐿3
𝑥= 𝐿𝑐 3

𝐿 2 (80)2
𝑥𝑐 = 6𝑅𝑐 = 6(176.295) = 6.05 𝑚
𝐶

(6.05)(40)3
𝑥=
(80)3

𝒙 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟓𝟔 𝒎 answer

7
Example Problem 4:
The tangents of a spiral curve has azimuths of 226⁰ and 221⁰ respectively. The minimum length of the spiral is
40m and a minimum super-elevation of 0.10m/m width of roadway. The maximum velocity to pass over the curve
is 70kph. Assume width of roadway to be 9m.
Compute the ff:
a. degree of simple curve
b. length of spiral at the end of simple curve
c. the super-elevation of the first 10m from s.c. on the spiral.
0.004𝐾 2
USE: 𝑒 =
𝑅

Solution:

a. Degree of Simple Curve

0.004𝑘 2
𝑒= 𝑅

0.004(70)2
0.10 = 𝑅𝑐

𝑅𝑐 = 196 𝑚
1145.916 1145.916
𝐷𝑐 = 𝑅𝑐
= 196

𝑫𝒄 = 𝟓. 𝟖𝟒𝟕° answer

b. Length of spiral at the end of simple

curve
0.036 𝑘 3 0.036(70)3
𝐿𝑐 = 𝑅
= (196)
𝑳𝒄 = 𝟔𝟑 𝒎 answer

c. The superelevation of the first 10m

from S.C. on the spiral
𝑚 53
𝑒 = 0.10 𝑚 (9 𝑚)(63)
𝒆 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟓𝟕m answer

8
Example Problem 5:
A spiral curve was laid out in a certain portion of the Manila-Cavite coastal road. It has a length of spiral 80m and
an angle of intersection of the two tangents of 40⁰. If the degree of curve is 6⁰, Determine the following elements
of the spiral curve:
a. Length of the long and short tangent
b. External distance
c. Length of throw
d. Maximum velocity of a car that could pass thru the curve without skidding.

Solution:

a. Length of the long and short tangent

1145.916
𝑅𝑐 = = 190.986 𝑚
6
𝐷𝑐 𝐿𝑐 6(80)
𝑆𝑐 = 40 = 4 = 12°
𝐿 2 (80)2
𝑥𝑐 = 6𝑅𝑐 = 6(190.986) = 5.585 𝑚
𝑐
𝑥
sin 𝑆𝑐 = 𝑆𝑇𝑐
5.585
ST = 𝑠𝑖𝑛12° = 𝟐𝟔. 𝟖𝟔𝟐 𝒎 answer
𝑥
tan 𝑆𝑐 = 𝑧𝑐
5.585
z= = 26.275 𝑚
𝑡𝑎𝑛12°
𝐿 3
𝑦𝑐 = 𝐿𝑐 − 𝑐 2
40𝑅𝐶
(80)3
𝑦𝑐 = 80 − = 79.649 𝑚
40(190.986)2
𝐿𝑇 = 𝑦𝑐 − 𝑧 = 79.649 − 26.275
𝑳𝑻 = 𝟓𝟑. 𝟑𝟕𝟒 𝒎 answer

b. External distance
𝑥𝑐 𝐼
𝐸𝑆 = (𝑅𝑐 + 4
) 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 − 𝑅𝑐
𝐿𝑐 2 𝐼
𝐸𝑆 = (𝑅𝑐 + 24𝑅 ) 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 − 𝑅𝑐
𝑐
(80)2 40
𝐸𝑆 = (190.986 + 24(190.986)) 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 −
190.986
𝑬𝑺 = 𝟏𝟑. 𝟕𝟒𝟑 𝒎 answer

c. Length of throw
𝑥 5.585
𝑃 = 4𝑐 = 4
𝑷 = 𝟏. 𝟑𝟗𝟔 𝒎 answer

d. Maximum velocity of a car that could pass thru the curve without skidding.
0.036 𝑘 3
𝐿𝑐 = 𝑅

0.036𝑘 3
80 = 190.986

𝒌 = 𝟕𝟓. 𝟏𝟓 𝒌𝒑𝒉 answer