Circular curves

INTRODUCTION
PURPOSE
Reasons for curves construction:
Reasons for curves construction:

ROAD CONSTRUCTION RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

DAM CONSTRUCTION RAILWAY CONSTRUCTIO

 CURVES
HORIZONTAL CURVES

VERTICAL CURVES
NEED OF PROVIDING CURVES
CLASSIFICATION OF CIRCULAR CURVES
• Circular curves are classified as :
Simple Curve:
 NAMES OF VARIOUS PARTS OF CURVE
Point of Intersection (PI)
The point of intersection marks the point where the back
and forward tangents intersect.
Intersecting Angle (I)
Is the deflection angle at the PI. The surveyor either
computes its value from the preliminary traverse station
angles or measures it in the field.
Radius (R)
Is the radius of the circle of which the curve is an arc.
NAMES OF VARIOUS PARTS OF CURVE
Point of Curvature (PC)
The point of curvature is the point where the circular
curve begins.
Point of Tangency (PT)
The point of tangency is the end of the curve.
Length of Curve (L)
Is the distance from the PC to the PT measured along the
curve.
Tangent Distance (T)
The tangent distance is the distance along the tangents
from the PI to the PC or PT.
Central Angle (Δ)
The central angle is the angle formed by two radii drawn
from the center of the circle (0) to the PC and PT. The
central angle is equal in value to the I angle.
Long Chord (LC)
The long chord is the chord from the PC to the PT.
External Distance (E)
The external distance is the distance from the PI to the
midpoint of the curve.
Middle Ordinate (M)
The middle ordinate is the distance from the midpoint of
the curve to the midpoint of the long chord.

Degree of Curve (D)

The degree of curve defines the “sharpness” or “flatness”
of the curve (figure 3). There are two definitions commonly
in use for degree of curve, the arc definition and the chord
definition.
Elements of simple circular curve
• L = (RΔπ) / 180

• Tangent: T = R tan(Δ/2)

• Chord: C = 2R sin(Δ/2)

• Mid Ordinate: M = R – R cos(Δ/2)

• External Distance: E = R sec(Δ/2) – R

• R = 5730 / D

• Pc sta = pi sta – T

• Ec sta = pc sta + L
Methods of setting out simple circular curve
Angular Method
Rankine method of tangential angles
Example
Example
Tangent length = = 600 tan 1824/2= 97.20m Δ=(1718.9 * 17.179) /
R tan θ/2 (60*600) = 0° 49’ 12”
Chainage T1 = chainage I – tangent length
Δ = ( 1718.9 * 20.00 ) / (
= 2140.00 - 97.20 = 2042.80m
60*600 ) = 0° 57’ 18”
= R x  x /360 = 192.684m
Arc length Δ = ( 1718.9 * 15.506 ) / (
60*600 ) = 0° 44’ 25”
= chainage T1 + arc length
Chainage T2 = 2042.80 + 192.68 =
2235.48m
Example