Circular curves

Horizontal curves
Definition Usage
Horizontal, circular or simple roads, railways, kerb lines,
curves are curves of constant pipe lines and may be set out
radius required to connect in several ways, depending on
two straights set out on the their length and radius.
ground.
Circular Curve Geometry
 FORMULA

  
T  R tan M  R1  cos 
 2
2

 L  2R
C  2 R sin 360
2
1718.9 x C
 
   1 (deg ree )
60 R
E  R sec  1
 2  1(min ute ) 
1718.9 x C
R
Chainage T1 = Chainage I + tangent length
Chainage T2 = Chainage T1 – arc length
 Setting out method

Offset From The Tangent Line

Offset From The Long Chord Line
Deflection Angle Method
Sub Chords Line Method
 OFFSET FROM TANGENT LINE
Given IP
)
Radius, R 600m Y2 X2
Tangent line

Deflection 18024' X1
Y1
angle ,  T1

Offset 20m circular arc T2

Chainage 2140m
intersection
point, I
Draw the table from the formula:
formula X  R  R  Y
2 2

Ofset R R2 Y2 R2-Y2 R Y 2 2
X  R  R Y
2 2
Tangent length
PROCEDURE
= R tan θ/2
= 600 tan (1824/2) = 97.20m

Chainage T1 = chainage I – tangent length

= 2140.00 - 97.20 = 2042.80m

Arc length = 2 x R x 
360
= 2 x 600 x 18o24’ = 192.68m
360

Chainage T2 = chainage T1 + arc length

= 2042.80 + 192.68 = 2235.48m
Ofset R R2 Y2 R2-Y2 R Y
2 2
X  R  R Y
2 2

(1) (2) (3) = (2)2 (4) = (1)2 (5) = (3) – (4) (6) = √(5) (7) = (2) – (6)
360000 – 0 = √ 360000 = 600 – 600 =
0 02 = 0
360000 600.000 0.000
360000 – 40= √ 359600 = 600 – 599.667 =
20 202 = 40
359600 599.667 0.333
360000 – 1600 = √ 3584000 = 600 – 598.665 =
40 6002 = 402 = 1600
600 358400 598.665 1.335
360000
60 3600 356400 596.992 3.008

80 6400 353600 594.643 5.357

97.20 9447.84 350969.109 592.426 7.574

 OFFSET FROM LONG CHORD LINE
Given
Radius, R 600m
Deflection 18024'
angle , 
Offset 20m
Chainage 2140m
intersection
point, I
Draw the table from the formula:
formula
X  R  Y  R  (W / 2)
2 2 2 2

Ofset R R2 Y2 R2-Y2 R Y
2 2
R  (W / 2)
2 2
X  R  Y  R  (W / 2)
2 2 2 2
 Long chord length
PROCEDURE
= 2R sin θ/2
= 2 x 600 sin (1824/2) w = 191.857m w/2 = 95.929 m

Tangent length = R tan θ/2

= 600 tan (1824/2) = 97.20m

Chainage T1 = chainage I – tangent length

= 2140.00 - 97.20 = 2042.80m

Arc length = 2 x R x 
360
= 2 x 600 x 18o24’ = 192.68m
360

Chainage T2 = chainage T1 + arc length

= 2042.80 + 192.68 = 2235.48m

Ofset R R2 Y2 R2-Y2 R Y
2 2
w/2 2 R  (w / 2)
2 2
x

(1) (2) (3) = (2)2 (4) = (1)2 (5) = (3) – (4) (6) = √(5) (7) (8) = √(3) – (7) (9) =(6) – (8)

0 360000 -0 = √ 360000 = 600 - 692.282

02 = 0
360000 600.000 = 7.785
599.667 –
20 360000 – 40 = √ 3596000 =
202 = 40 592.282 =
359600 599.667
7.385
√(360000 –
6002 = 95.9292 =
40 600 40 = 1600
2
358400 598.665 9202.277)= 6.383
360000 9202.277
592.282
60 3600 356400 596.992 4.710

80 6400 353600 594.643 2.361

95.929 9202.277 350797.723 592.282 0.000

 DEFLECTION ANGLE METHOD
Radius, R 600m
Deflection
Given angle 18024'
,
Offset 20m
Chainage 2140m
intersection
point, I
Draw the table form
formula for deflection angle
1718.9 x C method
 
60 R
1 (deg ree )
Stn. Chainage Chord Deflection Setting out
length angle, angle, 
(0 ‘ “) (0 ‘ “)
1718.9 x C
 
R
1 (min ute )
 Tangent length = R tan θ/2
= 600 tan (1824/2) = 97.20m
PROCEDURE
1718.9 x 17.179
Chainage T1 = chainage I – tangent length  
= 2140.00 - 97.20 = 2042.80m 60 x600
1718.9 x 20.000
Arc length = R x  x 2
360  
= 600 x 18o24’ x 2 = 192.684m 60 x600
360
1718.9 x 15.506
Chainage T2 = chainage T1 + arc length  
= 2042.80 + 192.68 = 2235.48m 60 x600
Stn. Chainage Chord length, C Deflection angle, Setting out angle, 
(0 ‘ “) – use formula (0 ‘ “) – cumulative deflection angle
T1 2042.821 0 00 0’ 0” + 00 0’ 0”
00 49’ 12”
= 00 49’ 12”
1 2060 17.179 +
00 57’ 18”
= 10 46’ 30”
2 2080 20.000
3 2100 20.000 00 57’ 18” 20 43’ 48”

4 2120 20.000 00 57’ 18” 30 41’ 6”

5 2140 20.000 00 57’ 18” 40 38’ 24”

6 2160 20.000 00 57’ 18” 50 35’ 42”

7 2180 20.000 00 57’ 18” 60 33’ 0”

8 2200 20.000 00 57’ 18” 70 30’ 18”

9 2220 20.000 00 57’ 18” 80 27’ 36”

T2 2235.506 15.506 00 44’ 25” 90 12’ 1”

 = 192.684  = 90 12’ 1” θ / 2 = 180 24’ / 2 = 90 12’ 1”

 Sub chords line method
Radius, R 600m Draw the table form
Deflection angle 18024'
• Given
,
for sub chord line
Offset 20m method
Stn. Chainage Chord Offset
Chainage 2140m length
intersection
point, I

formula
a 2

Ofset 
2R
1

b(b  a )
Ofset 
2R
2

b 2

Ofset 
R
n

c (c  b )
Ofset 
2R
n 1
 Tangent length = R tan θ/2 PROCEDURE
= 600 tan (1824/2) = 97.20m
17.179 2

Chainage T1 = chainage I – tangent length Ofset 

2 x600
1
= 2140.00 - 97.20 = 2042.80m

Arc length = R x  x 2
20(20  17.179)
360
= 600 x 18o24’ x 2 = 192.684m Ofset 
2 x600
2

360

Chainage T2 = chainage T1 + arc length 20 2

= 2042.80 + 192.68 = 2235.48m Ofset 

600
n

Stn. Chainage Chord length Offset 15.506(15.506  20)

Ofset 
2 x600
n 1

T1 2042.821 0 -
1 2060 a = 17.179 0.246 First Offset
2 2080 b = 20.000 0.620 Second Offset
3 2100 20.000 0.667
4 2120 20.000 0.667
5 2140 20.000 0.667
6 2160 20.000 0.667 Other Offset
7 2180 20.000 0.667
8 2200 20.000 0.667
9 2220 20.000 0.667
T2 2235.506 c =15.506 0.459 Last Offset
 = 192.684 -
 PROCEDURE SETTING OUT
Circular curves may be set out in a variety of ways, depending on the
accuracy required, its radius of curvature and obstructions on site.

Methods of setting out are as follows:

•Using one theodolite and a tape by the tangent angle method. This
method can be used on all curves, but is necessary for long curves of
radius unless they are set out by coordinates.

•Using two theodolites. This method can be used on smaller curves where
the whole length is visible from both tangent points and where two
instruments are available.

•Using tapes only by the method of offsets from the tangent. This method
is used for minor curves only.

•Using tapes only by the method of offsets from the long chord. This
method is used for short radius curves.
 FIELD WORK

OFFSET LINE FROM BASELINE USED

OPTICAL SQUARE OPTICAL SQUARE
Optical squares are simple sighting instruments
used to set out right angles. They can be
provided either with mirrors or with one or two
prisms. Because of practical difficulties in using
squares with mirrors, they have been replaced
by squares with prisms: "prismatic squares".
There are two major types of prismatic squares:
single prismatic squares and double prismatic
squares; both will be dealt with in the sections
which follow.
STEP 1
STEP 2

OFFSET LINE FROM BASELINE

STEP 1 STEP 2

STATION AT BASELINE
End of sub -topic
• Exercise
• Practical 6 & 7