Lecture 3

Horizontal Alignment of a highway

 Horizontal Curves

Objectives:

At the end of this lecture you will be able to:

1) Describe different types and methods of calculating

horizontal curves elements

2) Compute the Length of Curve (L)

3) External Distance (E)

4) Chord Distance (C)

 Horizontal Alignment
The highway layout consists of two
components namely:-

i) Horizontal component – viewed from

above
ii) Vertical component- viewed from the side

The horizontal alignment describes the left and right turning

required to remain on the road/highway

The vertical alignment exerts forces on the vehicle as the grade

along the highway
 Horizontal Alignment

In the horizontal perspective, Highway is

comprises of tangent or straight lines and
sections which are connected by a curve.

1) The horizontal curves are used to provide drivers with

the transition from one tangent to another

2) These curves have a single radius values which shows

the sharpness of flatness of the curve
 Horizontal Curves
1) When a road or highway changes direction,
describing a point where it changes direction is
challenging.

2) Therefore it is necessary to introduce a curve

between straight lines (tangents)

The principle consideration in the design of

horizontal curve is selection of the length of
the radius
Horizontal Alignment
 Horizontal Alignment of a highway

B
𝜃0
E
D
G F
H

A C 𝜗0

1. AB is a straight horizontal line

2. Highway changing direction to point C because of the nature of the topography

3. For smooth drive curves D to E and G to H are introduced

 Horizontal Curves
1) Depending on the
nature of the terrain
there are four types of
Horizontal Curves

i) Simple curve
ii) Compound curve
iii) Reverse curve
vi) Spiral curve

Figure 1.
 Horizontal Curves
Elements of a Horizontal Curve

1) Point of Intersection (PI)

2) Intersection angle (I)
3) Radius (R)
4) Point of Curvature (PC)
5) Point of Tangent (PT)
6) Central Angle ()
7) Length of Curve (L)
8) Tangent Distance (T)
9) Long Chord (LC)
10) External Distance (E)
11) Middle Ordinate (M)
12) Degree of Curve (D)
Figure 2.
 Horizontal Curves
Elements of a Horizontal Curve

Degree of Curve
The degree of curve is the central angle formed by two radii that
extends from the centre of the circle to the ends of an arc measuring
about 100 m long construction

Therefore it is necessary to introduce a curve between straight lines

(tangents)

The principle consideration in the design of horizontal curve is on :

i) selection of the length of the radius
 Horizontal Curves
Elements of a Horizontal Curve
1) Degree of Curve
(Arc definition)
S

The degree of arc = is the

central angle in degrees
subtended by an arc of R R

standard length
usually 30 m

Figure 3.
 Horizontal Curves
Elements of a Horizontal Curve
1) Degree of Curve
(Chord definition)
S
The degree of arc = is the
Curvature defined as an
Angle in degrees subtended R R

By a chord of standard length

Figure 3.
 Horizontal Curves
For arc definition
Let R = radius
S= standard length S

Therefore, Arc S = R* R R

. R= *

For S= 30m

R=* = Figure 4.

R= OR =
 Horizontal Curves

For chord definition

Let R = radius
S
S= standard length

R R

Therefore, Sin =

R* * =

R= *
Comparing arc and chord definition all provides the same
Figure 5.
degree of curve
 Horizontal Curves
Calculating Elements of a Horizontal Curve

1) Tocalculate the tangent

Distance ( T),
This is a relationship
of a right angle PI PC
and O

tan =
R

Then;

o
T = R tan Figure 6.
 Horizontal Curves
Elements of a Horizontal
Curve
2) To calculate Chord Distance C

To calculate the Chord

Distance (C), is
Relationship of a right
angle PT, C and O

Sin =

C= 2R Sin o
Figure 8.
 Horizontal Curves

To calculate elements of a Horizontal

3) To calculate Length of a Curve L

The length of a curve is

measured along the arc
The relationship between
D, L and 100 m arc length
is expressed as:

=
o
Then solving for L becomes;

L= * (
Figure 10.
 Horizontal Curves
4) To calculate Middle Ordinate (M)
M=CD=CO – DO
DO/R = cos (
DO= R cos (
But DO=R-M =R cos (
E
M= R – DO = R -R cos Or C
M
M = R(1 – cos )
D

5) External Distance (E)

Distance O to PI = R + E

But = Cos
o o
R = (R+E) Cos

R = R Cos + E Cos

R – R Cos = E Cos Dividing by Cos

Figure 11.
E= R ( sec - 1)
Example of Computation of Simple
Curve Elements and earth works

19 Dr S.D 11/13/2018Mayunga
 Computation of simple curve elements

Objectives:

1) To compute elements of simple curve

2) To compute deflection angles

3) To compute tangent angles

4) To set out a horizontal angle using Rankins method

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 Computation of simple curve elements
After establishing point PC and given that:
i) Intersection angle =
ii) R = 45m
iii) Chord distance c = 3m

Then, Compute:

1) Tangent Length T

2) Length of the chord L

3) Curve length

4) Deflection angles from BC using

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 Computation of simple curve elements
   

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 Computation of simple curve elements
 

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 Computation of simple curve elements
 

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Computation of simple curve elements
Determination of deflection angle

   
   

R
R

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 Computation of simple curve elements
 

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 Computation of simple curve elements

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 Computation of simple curve elements
Determination of deflection angle
Assumption = there is no difference between length of the arcs and
their corresponding chords of normal length or less. 

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 Computation of simple curve elements
 
Total deflection angle Remarks
Chord (commutative angle)
distance
C (m)
D m s

3 05 43 45

3 07 38 20

3 09 32 55

3 11 27 30

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 Horizontal Curves

HOME WORK

A circular curve has 150m radius and Central angle and

chord distance of 10m.

Required:
Calculate
i) Length of the curve (L)
ii) Tangent distance (T)
iii) Length of the Long Chord (Lc)
iv) Mid ordinance (M)
v) External Distance (E)
 Computation of simple curve elements
Practical Procedure to determine deflection angle

   
     

R
R

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 Computation of simple curve elements
 

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 Computation of simple curve elements
 

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 Computation of simple curve elements
  Total deflection Remarks
C angle
(commutative
angle)

D m s

20 03 22 12 03 22 12

20 03 22 12 06 44 24

20 03 22 12 10 06 36

20 03 22 12 13 28 48

20 03 22 12 16 51 00

20 03 22 12 20 13 12

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