LAYING OF SIMPLE CURVE BY TRANSIT AND TAPE

I. INTRODUCTION

In highway or railroad construction, the curves most generally used

presently are circular curves although parabolic and other curves are
sometimes used. These types of curves are classified as Simple,
Compound, Reversed, and Spiral curves. In this report, the main topic is all
about Simple curves. A simple curve is a circular arc, extending from one
tangent to the next. The point where the curve leaves the first tangent is
called the “point of curvature” (P.C.) and the point where the curve joins the
second tangent is the “point of tangency” (P.T.). If the tangent be produced,
they will meet in a point of intersection called the “vertex”. The distance
from the P.C. or P.T, and the vertex is called the “tangent distance”. While
the line joining the middle of the curve and the middle of the chord line
joining the P.C. and the P.T. is called the “middle ordinate”.

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 LAYING OF SIMPLE CURVE BY TRANSIT AND TAPE

In this field work, incremental chords and deflection angle

method is used. In this method, curves are staked out by use of deflection
angles turned at the point of curvature from the tangent to points along the
curve. The curve is set out by driving pegs at regular interval equal to the
length of the normal chord. Usually, the sub-chords are provided at the
beginning and end of the curve to adjust the actual length of the curve. The
method is based on the assumption that there is no difference between
length of the arcs and their corresponding chords of normal length or less.
The underlying principle of this method is that the deflection angle to any
point on the circular curve is measured by the one-half the angle subtended
at the center of the circle by the arc from the P.C. to that point.

II. OBJECTIVES
1. To be able to lay a simple curve by deflection angle.
2. To master the skill in leveling, orienting and using the transit effectively.

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 LAYING OF SIMPLE CURVE BY TRANSIT AND TAPE

III. INSTRUMENTS
2 Range Poles - is a surveying instrument used
for marking the position of stations and for
sightings of those stations as well as for ranging
the straight lines.

Chalk – used to put marking on pavements

50 Meter Tape – These are designed for most

conventional measurements in surveying and in
engineering work.

Transit – is an optical instrument, or a telescope, complete

with a built-in spirit level that is mounted on a tripod. Transit
levels are used mainly for surveying and building, but they
can be used to determine the relative position of lines and
objects as well.

IV. PROCEDURES
1. The professor gives data:
R = 80m
Backward Tangent Direction: 49°13’ (azimuth or bearing) Forward Tangent
Direction: 124°30’ (azimuth or bearing)
Station of the Vertex: 30 + 035
Adopt Full Chord length of 2m

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 LAYING OF SIMPLE CURVE BY TRANSIT AND TAPE

2. The student computes the elements of the simple curve using the following
formulas.

3. Set up the transit/theodolite over the vertex V, level the instrument and
sight/locate PC and PT using the computed length of the tangent
segments. Mark the position of PC and PT by marking pins if on soft
ground or chalk if on pavement.

4. The instrument over PC, level and start locating points of the curve using
the following procedures:

a. Initialize the horizontal Vernier by setting the zero reading. Tighten

the upper clamp and adjust it with the upper tangent screw.

b. Using the telescope, sight the vertex PI with the Vernier still at zero
reading.
c. Tighten the lower clamp and focus it using the lower tangent screw.
d. With the lower tangent screw already tight, loosen the upper clamp
and start to measure half the first deflection angle. Mark the direction
with a range pole. Along this line, using marking pin/chalk, mark point A
measured with a tape the length of the first subchord.
e. Locate the next point B, a full chord length from point A but this time
intersecting the line sighted at an angle of half the sum of d1 and the full
D of the curve. Note that the transit/theodolite still positioned over station
PC.
f. Proceed in locating other points on the curve following step e until
you cover all full chord stations on the entire length of the curve.

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 LAYING OF SIMPLE CURVE BY TRANSIT AND TAPE

g. Measure the distance 2 and from the last full station on the curve
and intersecting the line of sight with a deflection angle equal to half the
intersection angle, mark the last point as PT.
5. Check the position of PT by determining the length of PC from PT and
compare it to the computed total length of the chord of simple curve.

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 LAYING OF SIMPLE CURVE BY TRANSIT AND TAPE

Photo 1: After we have set the

vertex point, we’ve check where
we will locate the station of PC and
PT. After locating our PC we’ve
started to compute for the
deflection angles. In this photo, we
illustrate how we locate each
station (A, B, C, D and PT)

Photo 2: In this photo, we’ve showed how we move to

the next point by maintaining the straight line using the
transit.

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 LAYING OF SIMPLE CURVE BY TRANSIT AND TAPE

Photo 3: In the last

part of the field
work is getting the
length of long
chord using the
tape measure. As a
technique, we have
decided to
measure it partially
by 2m. To check if it
is going straight, we’ve used the transit.

V. COMPUTATIONS
R = 80m
Backward Tangent Direction: 49°13’ (azimuth or bearing) Forward Tangent
Direction: 124°30’ (azimuth or bearing)
Station of the Vertex: 30 + 035
Adopt Full Chord length of 2m

I = azimuth of the forward tangent – azimuth of the backward tangent

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 LAYING OF SIMPLE CURVE BY TRANSIT AND TAPE

= 124°30’- 49°13’
I = 74°59’

π
T =R tan ( 2I ) Lc =IR(
180
)

T =15 tan ( 74 °259’ ) Lc =74 ° 59’ (15) ( 180π )

T =11.51 m Lc =19.63 m

C=2 R sin ( 2I ) [
M =R 1−cos ( 2I )]
C=2(15)sin ( 74 °259 ’ ) M =15 1−cos
[ ( 74 °259’ )]
C=18.26 m M =3.10 m

Sta . P . C .=Sta . V −T Sta . P . T .=Sta . P .C .+ L c

Sta . P . C .=30+ 035−11.51
Sta . P . T .=30+ 023.4 9+19.63 m
Sta . P . C .=30+ 023.4 9
Sta . P . C .=30+ 043.12

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 LAYING OF SIMPLE CURVE BY TRANSIT AND TAPE

C1 =¿ 30+02 4−30+023.4 9 I 74 ° 59’

=
2 2
C1 =¿ 0.51 θ=3 7 ° 29 ' 30' '

d 1=2 sin−1 ( 302 )

d 1=1.95 °

D 2
sin =
2 R
D 2
sin =
2 15
D
sin =7 ° 39 ' 44.12 ' '
2

Sta . P . C .=Sta. V −T
Sta . P . C .=30+ 035−11.51 D=7 ° 39' 44.12 ' '
Sta . P . C .=30+023.4 9
d 1+ 9 D
=35 ° 27' 18.54 '
d 1=1.95 ° 2

d 1+2 D
=4 ° 48' 22.06 ' ' ' '
d 2=37 ° 29 30 −35 ° 27 18.54 '
'
2
d 1+3 D
=12 ° 28' 06.18 ' ' d 2=2 ° 02' 11.46
2
d 1+ 4 D
=16 ° 1 7' 5 8. 24 ' ' c2
2
d 1+5 D
'
2° 02 11.46=2 sin
−1
( 2(15) )
=20 ° 07' 5 2. 30' '
2 c 2=0.5 3
d 1+6 D
=23 ° 57' 42.3 6 ' '
2
d 1+7
=27 ° 47' 34 . 42''
2

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 LAYING OF SIMPLE CURVE BY TRANSIT AND TAPE

VI. RESEARCH AND DISCUSSION

This field work teaches us how to lay a simple curve using transit level,
tape, and range poles. Using the tape, we can draw the curve with the
knowledge of trigonometry. Basically, the important things to have in this
activity are tape, transit, the marking tools and mathematics. In this field work
we yield a relatively big error in the length of the long chord. Considering we
have a data that has multiple decimals, the value is negligible in the
measurement using the tape. So, the value for the angle that would be laid is
different from the computed value. Assuming this is the same all throughout
the triangles, the actual length of the chord would have a great difference to
the computed length. Another source of error could be the misaligned drawing
of the line. When we extend the line of the chord, we will measure the
horizontal component of the next triangle. In certain circumstances, the
extended line is not straight with respect to its point of origin. When this
happens, the chord will have a different deflection angle. In turn, it would
contribute to an inaccurate data.
Curvature is usually measured in radius of curvature. A small circle can be
easily laid out by just using radius of curvature, but if the radius is large as a
km or a mile, degree of curvature is more convenient for calculating and laying
out the curve of large scale works like roads and railroads. By this method
curve setting can be easily done with the help of a transit or theodolite and a
chain, tape or rope of a prescribed length. One of the methods in getting a
simple curve is by incremental chords and deflection angle method. The
underlying principle of this method is that the deflection angle to any point on
the circular curve is measured by the one-half the angle subtended at the

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 LAYING OF SIMPLE CURVE BY TRANSIT AND TAPE

center of the circle by the arc from the P.C. to that point. The deflection
method is the premier curve location method for use when running grade
lines. It allows you to check special situations, such as sharp, v-shaped draws
to see if a particular curve will fit to the location without undue cuts or fills. It
can also be used to check grade line (the variation or deflection from one
tangent to the next, or from one ribbon location to the next) to see if the
deflection-angle exceeds a critical value, meaning that the minimum radius
rule (e.g. 60 ft) may not be met.
In this field work, I’ve learn how to they make curves by using an
incremental and deflection angle method. It’s true that it is not easy to make a
curve. It takes analyzation and application of geometry to find out how it is
done. What I’ve learn also in this field work is to find out techniques in
measuring some distances, like in getting the chord, if you will get its
measurement by using the full length of the tape, it would take you a large
error because of the sag due to gravity and also the air resistance, that is why
we make our techniques to lessen the error and get the true value precisely.
This field work also lets me realize that the work of each surveyor is not that
easy.
VII. RECOMMENDATIONS
As a recommendation to this field work, as what we did in field work 1,
we’ve measured distances by 2m, in this length, it is fair enough to pull the
tape measure and also has the fair sag on it, and also by using the transit, we
checked if we are moving in an aligned position. One thing I can see that
makes an error is the sag on tape.

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 LAYING OF SIMPLE CURVE BY TRANSIT AND TAPE

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