CURVES

HORIZONTAL CURVE VERTICAL CURVE

CIRCULAR TRANSITION COMBINED SUMMIT SAG

SIMPLE COMPOUND REVERSE CUBIC CLOTHOID CUBIC LEMNISCATE

PARABOLA SPIRAL
• ELEMENTS AND DESIGNATION OF A SIMPLE CIRCULAR CURVE

a) Length of the curve(T1CT2) = (2πR/3600)x Δ

b) Length of tangent (VT1T2) = R tan(Δ /2)
c) Mid-ordinate(CD) = R(1-cosΔ /2)
d) Length of long chord(T1DT2) = 2R sin(Δ /2)
e) Apex/External Distance(VC) = R[(secΔ /2)-1]

• DESIGNATION
(A) Chord Definition
R = 15 /sin(Δ /2) (For 30m chord)
R = 1719 /Δ (For 30m chord and if Δ is very small)
R = 1146 /Δ (For 20m chord and if Δ is very small)

(B) Arc Definition

(RxΔxπ) /1800=30 (For arc length 30m)
R= 1719 /Δ (For 30m arc and if Δ is very small)
R = 1146 /Δ (For 20m arc and if Δ is very small)
• ELEMENTS OF A COMPOUND CURVE

Here, By geometry [Δ = Δ1+ Δ2]

1) Length of common tangent (MN) = MD + DN = R1 tan(Δ1 /2) +R2 tan(Δ2 /2)

2) Length of main tangent (IT1 & IT2) :
IT1 = T1M+MI = R1 tan(Δ1 /2) +[MN sin(Δ2 /2)] /sin Δ
IT2 = T2N+NI = R1 tan(Δ1 /2) +[MN sin(Δ2 /2)] /sin Δ

• REVERSE CURVE AND ITS ELEMENTS

Here, By geometry [Δ = Δ1-Δ2= 𝛿1- 𝛿2] & (R2 > R1)

T1 T2 = T1F+T2F+FG = R1 sin 𝛿1 + R2 sin 𝛿2 + (R1+ R2) sin (Δ2-𝛿2)

O2H = O1F+ O2G
(R1+ R2) cos (Δ2-𝛿2) = R1 cos 𝛿1 + R2 cos 𝛿2
cos (Δ2-𝛿2) = cos (Δ1-𝛿1) = (R1 cos 𝛿1 + R2 cos 𝛿2 ) / (R1+ R2)
 • TRANSITION CURVE AND ITS ELEMENTS
 SUPERELEVATION(h) : Raising of outer end of a road or rail over inner one.

h = Bv2/gR (For roads) ; h = Gv2 / gR (For rails)

 EQUILIBRIUM CANT & CANT DEFICIENCY : If superelevation is provided as

superelevation equation , load will equally distributed on both rails, springs will equally
compressed , such a cant is called equilibrium cant.
If speed is more and less accordingly the value of cant is more and less respectively. This excess
or shortage of cant is called cant deficiency.
Limiting speed corresponding to cant = h ± e (where e is cant deficiency permitted on the track)

 CENTRIFUGAL RATIO : It is the ratio of the centrifugal force and the weight.
P/W = v2/gR (as P= Wv2/ gR )
P/W = vh2/gR = 1/4 vh = (gR / 4)1/2 (For highway) (maximum value allowed)
P/W = vR2/gR = 1/8 vR = (gR /8)1/2 (For railway)

vh = √2vR
 SUPER-ELEVATION on HIGHWAYS : SIDE FRICTION FACTOR(f)

where T is sum of forces parallel to pavement transferred by friction &

f = T/N
N is sum of forces normal to pavement
N= Psinθ+Wcosθ ; T= Pcosθ-Wsinθ
Also, T = fN
(Pcosθ-Wsinθ) = f(Psinθ+Wcosθ )
P/W = (sinθ+fcosθ)/(cosθ-fsinθ)
v2 /gR = (tanθ+f)/(1-ftanθ)

• Length of Transition Curve

1. By rate of superelevation
L = nh ; h = Gv2 / gR (300 ≤ n ≤ 1200)
2. By time rate
L = Gv3/xgR (x= time rate of superelevation)
3. By rate of change of radial acceleration
L = v3/αR (α= rate of change of radial acceleration)
L = {(gtanθ)3/2 R1/2}/α (For sharp curves)
4. If centrifugal ratio is given and comfort condition holds good
L = 4.5 R1/2 (For rails) (For comfort condition, α = 0.3 m/s2 per second)
L = 12.80 R1/2 (For roads)
• REVERSE CURVE AND ITS ELEMENTS
Vertical curves may be circular or parabolic.

Types of Reverse curve :

(a) summit curve
(b) sag curve

Length of vertical curve (L) = total change of grade/ permissible rate of change of grade SUMMIT CURVE

(Based on centrifugal ratio)

L = {(g1-g2)v2}/100f
(f = allowable centrifugal acceleration for velocity v)

SAG CURVE