Concepts of Route Alignment in highway engineering design principles.

Introduction to Route Alignment in Highway engineering design.

The alignment is defined as the combination of horizontal and vertical geometric elements
giving the location of the road in the terrain.

Alignment design should take care of road safety, comfort, aesthetics, economics and
environmental factors.

Types of Alignment

Basically, there are two types namely as;

i. Horizontal Alignment includes straight and curved paths

ii. Vertical Alignment includes curves and gradients

Coordination of the horizontal and vertical alignments is also covered to ensure a proper

combination of the horizontal and vertical alignments for safety and aesthetic purposes.
The aim of alignment selection process.

To find a location for the new road that will result in the lowest total
construction, land, traffic and environmental costs.

1. Horizontal Alignment

The direction and course of the road centreline in plan

It is the design of the road in the horizontal plane.

The design elements of a horizontal alignment are the tangent (straight

section), the circular curve, the transition curve (spiral curve) and the
superelevation section.

Should provide safe travel at uniform design speed.

 CURVES
A regular curved path followed by a railway or highway
alignment. A curve may be either circular, parabolic or spiral and
is always tangential to the two straight directions at its ends.
In highways, railways, or canals the curve are provided for
smooth or gradual change in direction due the nature of terrain,
cultural features, or other unavoidable reasons. In highway
practice, it is recommended to provide curves deliberately on
straight route to break the monotony in driving on long straight
route to avoid accidents
The curves may be further classified as :

(i) Simple Circular Curve (Simple Curve)

(ii) Compound Curve

(iii)Reverse Curve

(iv)Transition Curve

1. Simple curve

The curve which is a single arc of a circle. It is tangential to both

the straights AT1 and CT2.
Fig. Showing A simple curve.
ii) Compound curve (Fig. ). A
curve which consists of two or
more arcs of different circles
with different radii having their
centres on the same side of the
common tangent in succession,
each bending in the same
direction.
iii) Reverse curve (Fig. ). A
curve which consists of two
opposite circular arcs of same or
different radii, is known as a
reverse curve. In such curves
the centres of the arcs are on
the opposite sides of the curve.
The two arcs turn in opposite
directions with a common
tangent at the junction of the
iv)Transition curve. A curve of
varying radius introduced
between a straight and a
circular curve.
Figure .shows various features of a circular curve Or Elements of a circular
curve
1. PI is the point of the intersection of the two tangents
2. T is tangent length, T = R tan(Δ/2)
3. Δ is the deflection angle formed by the intersection of the two tangents at the
PI
4. L is the length of the arc (curve) between the BC and EC, L = Δ×R 2π/360
5. LC is the long chord length between the BC and the EC, LC = 2R sin(Δ/2)
6. E is the external distance from the PI to the centre of the arc, E = R (sec(Δ/2)-1)
7. M is the Middle ordinate, the distance from the middle of the arc to the
midpoint of the Long Chord, M = R(1-cos(Δ/2))
8. BC is the beginning of curve, also known as Point of Curvature (PC), and is the
point where the tangent ends and the curve begins, BC = PI - T
9. EC is end of curve, also known as Point of Tangency (PT), and is the point where
the curve ends, and the tangent starts, EC = BC + L
10. R is the radius. It is the distance from the centre of the circle (O) to any point
on the circumference
Elements of a curve.
1. Back tangent. The tangent T1I at T1, the point of commencement of the curve, is
called ‘back tangent’.

2. Forward tangent. The tangent I T2 at T2, the end point of the curve, is called ‘forward
tangent’.

3. Point of intersection. The point I where back tangent when produced forward and the
forward tangent when produced backward meet, is called the point of intersection.

4. Angle of Intersection. The angle between the back tangent IT1 and the forward
tangent I T2, is called the angle of intersection of the curve.

5. Angle of Deflection. The angle through which forward tangent deflects, is called
angle of deflection of the curve. It may be either to the right or to the left of the back
tangent. 6.

6. Point of commencement. The point T1 where the curve originates from the back
tangent, is called the point of commencement of the curve. It is also sometimes known
7. Point of tangency. The point T2 where the curve joins the forward
tangent, is called point of tangency.

8. Deflection angle to any point on the curve. The angle between the
back tangent and the chord joining the point of commencement to that
point on the curve, is called deflection angle of the point. The deflection
angle to the point A is I T1A which is generally denoted by δ.

9. Tangent distances. The distance between the point of intersection and

point of commencement of the curve, or the distance between the point of
intersection and point of tangency, are called the tangent distances.

10. Length of the curve. The total length of the curve from the point of
commencement to the point of tangency, is called length of the curve.
11. Long chord. The chord joining the point of the
commencement and point of tangency, is called long chord.

12. Mid-ordinate. The ordinate joining the mid point of the curve
and long chord, is called Mid-ordinate.

13. Normal chord. A chord between two successive regular pegs

on the curve, is called a normal chord.

14. Sub-chord. When a chord is shorter than the normal chord, it

is called a sub-chord’. These sub-chords generally occur at the
beginning and at the end of the curve.
Example 1:Two straights intersect at chainage 2056.44 m and the
angle of intersection is 120˚. If the radius of the simple curve to be
introduced is 600 m, find the following:

i. Tangent distances

ii. Chainage of point of commencement

iii. Chainage of the point of tangency

iv. Length of long chord

v. Draw a neat sketch of the calculated data properly.

 solution
a) Tangent distances T = R tan (Δ/2)
The deflection angle Δ =180˚-120˚=60˚ ; R = 600 m
=600 × tan 30˚= 600 ×0.57735= 346.41 m
The length of the curve L = πR Δ /180˚
=π×600×60˚/180˚ =628.32 m
b) Chainage of the point of commencement
= Chainage of the point of intersection – Tangent length
= 2056.44- 346.41 =1710.03 m
c) Chainage of the point of tangency
= Chainage of the point of commencement + length of the curve
= 1710.03+628.32 =2338.35 m
(d) Length of the long chord LC = 2R sin(Δ/2)
Example 2: If the tangents to a circular curve having 500 m
radius intersect at an angle of 120° and the chainage of the point
of intersection, is 1520.5 m, calculate.

(i) Tangent distance

(ii) Degree of the curve

(iii)Length of the long chord

(iv)Length of the curve

(v) Chainage of the points of commencement and tangency

i) Tangent distances T = R tan (Δ/2)
The deflection angle Δ =180˚-120˚=60˚ ; R = 500 m
=500 × tan 30˚= 500 ×0.57735= 288.68 m
ii) Degree of curve, D⁰ = 1718.9/R =1718.9/500=3.4378 m=3⁰26′16″
iii) Length of the long chord LC = 2R sin(Δ/2)
= 2 ×500×sin 30˚= 2×500×0.5= 500 m
iv) The length of the curve L = πR Δ /180˚
=π×500×60˚/180˚ =523.60 m
v) Chainage of the point of commencement
= Chainage of the point of intersection – Tangent length
= 1520.5- 288.68 =1231.82 m
Chainage of the point of tangency
= Chainage of the point of commencement + length of the
curve
Example 3:Two tangents meet at chainage 1000 m, the deflection
angle being 36°. A circular curve of radius 300 m is to be
introduced in between the two tangents, calculate the following :

(i) Tangent length

(ii) Length of circular curve

(iii)Chainages of tangent points

 Solution

i) T = R tan (Δ/2) = 300 x tan (36⁰/2)= 97.48 m

ii) ᶩ = πR Δ /180˚ =π×300×36˚/180˚ = 188.50 m

iii) = - T = 1000 – 97.48= 902.52 m

= + ᶩ = 902.52 + 188.50 = 1091.02 m

Example 4.Two straights of a road intersect at a chainage 2565.0
m having their angle of intersection equal to 115°. Calculate

i. The chainage of the point of commencement,

ii. The point of tangency and

iii. The mid-point of the curve if the degree of the curve is 5°

 Solution

Δ=180⁰-115⁰=65⁰

R=1718.9/D⁰=1718.9/5⁰=343.78 m

T = R tan (Δ/2) = 343.78 x tan (65⁰/2)= 219 m

ᶩ = πR Δ /180˚ =π×343.78×65˚/180˚ = 390 m

LC = 2R sin(Δ/2)= 2 x 343.78 sin 65⁰/2 = 369.43 m

i. = - T = 2565 – 219 = 2346 m

ii. = + ᶩ = 2346+ 390 = 2736 m

iii. M= /2= 2346+2736=2541 m

Setting out of Circular Curve
Setting out of Circular Curve

There are various methods for setting out circular curves on the ground. Some
of them are:

1. Perpendicular Offsets from Tangent: YX= (Exact)

YX= /2R (Approximate)

2. Radial offsets : rX= - R (Exact)

: rX= /2R (Approximate)

where x = the measured distance from T1 along the tangent

3. Offsets from Long Chord b=) - )

where a = the measured distance from D along the long chord.

4.Offsets from Chords Produced

(a) Offset from tangent a1a =T1a2/2R

(b) Offset from chords produced b1b = ab(T1a + ab)/2R

5. Rankin’s Method or Deflection Angle Method

(a) Tangential angle δn =1718.9 Cn/R minutes

(b) Deflection angles Δn = Δn-1+δn

Example 1:Two roads meet at an angle of 127˚30ˊ

(a)Calculate the necessary data for setting out a curve of 15

chains radius to connect the two straight portions of the road if
it intended to set out the curve by chain and offsets only.
Assume the length of chain as 20 metres. By radial and
perpendicular offsets

(b)Draw a neat sketch of two roads and show the necessary data.

(c) Explain carefully how you would set out the curve in the field.
 solution

a) The length of the radius =15×20=300 m

Angle of deflection Δ =180˚-127˚30’=52˚30’

The length of tangent T1B = R tan Δ˚/2

=300 tan 26˚15’=300×0.493145=147.94 m

Calculation of offsets

I. Radial offsets (Exact)

From équation

OX= - R
O40= – 300=302.66- 300= 2.66 m

O60= – 300=305.94- 300=5.94 m

O80= – 300=310.48- 300=10.48 m

O100= – 300=316.23- 300=16.23 m

O120= – 300=323.11-300=23.11 m

O140= – 300=331.06-300=31.06 m

O147.94= – 300=334.49-300=34.49 m
II. Perpendicular offsets (Exact)
From équation
OX=
O20= = 300-299.33= 0.67 m
O40= =300-297.32= 2.68 m
O60= =300-293.94=6.06 m
O80= =300-289.14=10.86 m
O100= =300-282.84=17.16 m
O120= =300-274.95=25.05 m
O140= =300-265.33=34.67 m
O147.94= =300-260.99=39.01 m
The distance x of the point from T1 for locating the apex point

x= R sin Δ˚/2= 300×sin 26˚15’

x=300×0.442289=132.69 m

O132.69= =300-269.06=30.94 m

The other half of the curve, may be set out of the second
tangent
Example 2.(Tutorial):Two straight roads meet at an angle of 130°.
Calculate the necessary data for setting out a circular curve of 15
chains radius between the roads by the perpendicular offsets
method. The length of one chain is 20 m.

Also determine the tangent length, external distance, long chord

and mid-ordinate.
Example 04. (Tutorial)Tabulate the necessary data for setting
out circular curve with the following data :

Angle of intersection = 144°

Chainage of point of intersection = 1390 m

Radius of the curve = 300 m

The curve is to be set out by offsets from chords produced with

pegs at every 20 m of through chainage.