CVE 363

Highway Design
Spring 2024

Setting out of Simple Curves

Reading: Text Book: Chp15

Setting Out of Simple Curves

Simple curves are usually set out in the field by staking out points on the
curve using deflection angles measured from the PC and the length of
cords joining consecutive whole stations

1
Angle to 1st whole station (VAp ) 
2
1 D
Angle to 2nd whole station (VAq )  
2 2
1 D D
Angle to 3rd whole station (VAv )   
2 2 2
1 D D D
Angle to 4 th whole station (VAs )    
2 2 2 2
1 D D D 
Angle to PT (VAB )      2
2 2 2 2 2
Setting Out of Simple Curves

Determination of deflection angles  and 

R
Length of arc to 1st whole station  l1  1
180

180l1
Isolating R from first arc length  R
1 180l1 180L 180l 2
 
180L 1  2 
Equation of radius of curvature  R


l1 L l 2
 
1   2
Setting Out of Simple Curves

Determination of chord lengths between stations along curve

 Chord length measured as strait lines

2nd whole 3rd whole

station station
1st whole 4th whole
CD station
station CD
CD
1
C1  2R  sin C1 C2 PT
2 PC
D
CD  2R  sin
2

C2  2R  sin 2 D
2 D D
1 2
Setting Out of Simple Curves

Determination of chord lengths from station PC along curve

 Chord length measured as strait lines

2nd whole 3rd whole

station station
1st whole 4th whole
 
C1  2R  sin 1  station
C2
C3 station
 2 C4
PC C1 PT
 D C5
C2  2R  sin 1  
 2 2
 D D
C3  2R  sin 1   
 2 2 2
D D D
 D D D 1 2
C4  2R  sin 1    
 2 2 2 2
 D D D  
C5  2R  sin 1     2 
2 2 2 2 2
Setting Out of Simple Curves
Implementation Steps

Step 1  Determine radius of curvature (R) and length of curve (L), if

required
Step 2  Locate and stake the point of curvature (PC) and point of
tangent (PT)
Step 3  Compute distance, angle i, deflection angle, and chord
length to first whole stations
Step 4  Compute distance, angle i, deflection angle, and chord
length to last whole stations
Step 5  Compute deflection angles from the PC to each whole
station
Step 6  Measure chord distance from PC to each whole station
Setting Out of Simple Curves
Example

Determine characteristics of the following

horizontal curve
External deflection angle :   55 o 25'  55.42o
Degree of curvature : D  4o
Station of PC : PC  238  44.75

Step 1  Determine the radius of curvature (R) and length of curve (L)
5729 .6   
R L  2R  
D  360 
5729 .6  55.42 
R L  2    1432 .4 
4
 360 
R  1432 .4 ft
L  1385 .4 ft
Setting Out of Simple Curves
Example

Step 2  Locate and stake the point of curvature (PC) and point of
tangent (PT)
Location of PC known PT  PC  L
PC  238  44.75 PT  (238  44.75)  (13  85.42)
PT  252  30.17

Step 3  Compute distance (l1), angle 1, deflection angle, and chord
length (C1) to first whole station
1
l1  First whole station  PC 1 l1 C1  2R sin
 2
l1  239  00  238  44.75   L
 2.210 
1 55.25 C1  21432.4  sin 
l1  0  55.25   2 
55.4167 1385.42
l1  55.25 ft C1  55.25 ft
1  2.210 o

1 2.210
Deflection angle    1.105 o
2 2
Setting Out of Simple Curves
Example

Step 4  Compute distance (l2), angle 2, deflection angle, and chord
length (C2) to last whole station

l 2  PT - Last whole station 2 l 2 2

 C2  2R sin
l 2  252  30.17   252  00  L 2
2 30.17  1.2068 
l 2  0  30.17  C2  21432.4  sin 
55.4167 1385.42  2 
l 2  30.17 ft
 2  1.2068 o C2  30.17 ft

 2 1.2068
Deflection angle    0.6034 o
2 2
Setting Out of Simple Curves
Example

Step 5  Compute deflection angles from the PC to each whole station

1 2.21
Angle to 1st whole station    1.105  1o 6'18' '
2 2
1 D 2.21 4
Angle to 2nd whole station      3.105  3 o 6'18' '
2 2 2 2
1 D D 2.21 4 4
Angle to 3rd whole station        5.105  5o 6'18' '
2 2 2 2 2 2
1 D D D 2.21 4 4 4
Angle to 4 th whole station          7.105  7o 6'18' '
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
etc...

PC PT

D D
1 D 2
Setting Out of Simple Curves
Example

Step 6  Measure chord distance from PC to each whole station

 
Chord to 1st whole station  2R sin  1 
2
 
 21432.4  sin 1.105 o  55.25 ft

 D 
Chord to 2nd whole station  2R sin  1  
2 2 
 
 21432.4  sin 3.105 o  155.17 ft

 D D 
Chord to 3rd whole station  2R sin  1   
2 2 2 
 
 21432.4  sin 5.105 o  254.91 ft

 D D D
 
Chord to 4 th whole station  2R sin  1      21432.4  sin 7.105 o  354.34 ft
 2 2 2 2
etc...

PC PT

D D
1 D 2
Setting Out of Simple Curves
Example

Final Result

0
55.25
155.17
254.91
354.34
453.34
551.78
649.55
746.53
842.61
937.65
1031.55
1124.20
1215.47
1305.27
1332.05