MIRPUR UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST), MIRPUR

DEPARMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERIG

 Advanced Engineering Survey
CIV-2334

Lecture 02: Highway Curve, types and setting

Engr. Khalid Mehmood

(Lecturer)

Date: Nov. 30, 2021

 CURVE

• Curves are arcs provided to change the direction and gradient.

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 Function of Curves
To avoid sudden change in the line of communication e.g., in roads, railways, canals
etc it becomes necessary to provide curves. As shown in the figure, it is desired to go
from direction AB to direction BC, it will be quite difficult for a vehicle to go up to
point B and then take a turn in the direction of BC. The vehicle will have to slow
down. This becomes even more difficult in case of long trains. But if these two points
are joined by a curve, the change can be comfortably adopted by the vehicle. This
curve provides a gradual change and makes the change safe, comfortable & easy.
Lines connected by the curves are tangential to it and are called tangents or
straights. The curves are generally arcs, but parabolic arcs are often used in some
countries for this purpose. B

A C

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 What is a Horizontal Curve?

◉Providesa transition between two tangent length of roadway.

◉Curve used to change the direction.

● PC (Point of Curvature at beginning of curve)

● PI (Point of Intersection of tangents)
● PT (Point of Tangency at end of curve)

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 Types of Circular Curve

1. Simple Curves.
2. Compound Curves.
3. Reverse Curves.
4. Transition Curve

Simple Curves.
A simple curve consists of single arc
connecting two straights. The radius of the
curve throughout the curve remains the same.

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 Types of Circular Curve
Compound Curve:
A compound curve consists of two arcs of
different radii bending in same direction.
Their centers being on same side of the
common tangent.

Reverse Curve:

A reverse curve is composed of two arcs of

equal or different radii bending in opposite
direction with a common tangent at their
junction. This centers being on opposite side
of the common tangent

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 Types of Circular Curve

Transition Curve:
A curve of constantly changing radius, used to connect a circular arc to a straight line
or to an arc of different curvature.

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 Degree of Curve
Curves are designated by the angle (in degrees) at the center subtended by a chord of
100 ft length. The angle being called the degree (D) of the curve.

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 Relationship between degree (D) and Radius (R) of the
Curve
• Let
R = Radius of the curve in ft. P
M N
D = Degree of the curve.
MN = Chord of 100 ft length.
P = Mid point of chord
So; MP = 50 ft.
• In triangle OMP: O

OM = R, MP = 50 ft Angle MOP = D/2 sin (D/2) = MP/OM = 50/R

R = 50 / sin (D/2)
When ‘D’ is small then sin (D/2) = D/2 in radians.
R = 50 / [(D/2) x (π/180)] = (50 x 360) / (π x D) = 5729.65 / D
R = 5730 / D

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 Nomenclature of Simple Circular Curve

• The straight line AB and BC, which are

connected by the curve are called the tangents
of the curve.
• The point B at which the two angles of the
tangents AB & BC intersect is known as the
point of intersection (P.I) or the vertex (V).
• If curve deflects to the right of direction of the
progress of survey AB; it is called Right Hand
Curve and if to the left it is called Left Hand
Curve.
• Tangent line AB is called the First Tangent or
the Rear Tangent (also called back tangent).

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 Nomenclature of Simple Circular Curve
• Tangent BC is the Second Tangent or Forward
Tangent.
• The point (T1 & T2) at which curve touches the
straights are called Tangent Points (T.P).
• The angle ABC between the tangent lines AB and
BC is called angle of intersection and the angle B'BC
(i.e., the angle by which the forward tangent deflects
from the rear tangent) is known as the deflection
angle (Ф) of the curve.
• The distance from the point of intersection to the
tangent point is called tangent distance; tangent
lengths (T1B & BT2).
• The line T1T2 joining the two tangent points is
known as “Long Chord (l)”.
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 Nomenclature of Simple Circular Curve
• The arc T1FT2 is called the length of curve (L).
• Mid point (F) of the arc T1FT2 is known as
Apex or summit of the curve and lies on the
bisector of angle of intersection.
• Distance BF from of intersection to the apex is
known as “Apex distance” or External
distance.
• The angle T1OT2 subtended at the center of the
curve by the arc T1FT2 is known as central
angle and is equal to the deflection angle (Ф).
• The intercept EF on the line OB between the
apex F and point E of the long chord is called
‘Versidsine of the curve’.

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Elements of Simple Curve

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Elements of Simple Curve

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Elements of Simple Curve

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 Example # 01

Two straight lines AB and BC intersect at chainage (85+93), the intersection

angle being 134°.It is desired to connect these two straight lines by a simple curve
of 4 degree. Compute the following

1) length of curve (L)

2) Length of long chord (l)
3) Tangent length (T)
4) External Distance (E)
5) Middle Distance (M)
6) Chainage at Pt

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Solution Example # 01

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 Example # 02

Two lines BA & AC are intersected by

the third line EF. The angle AEF and
AFE are 28o 12' and 32o 24' respectively.
And EF = 599.7 ft. Find the radius of the
simple curve which is tangential to BA
and AC. Also find the chainage of
beginning and end of the curve? Given
that chainage of A is 5625 ft.

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Solution Example # 02

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 Example # 03

Two lines BA & AC are intersected by the third line EF. The angle
AEF and AFE are 28o 12' and 32o 24' respectively. And EF = 599.7
ft. Find the radius of the simple curve which is tangential to BA, EF
and AC. Also find the chainage of beginning and end of the curve?
Given that chainage of A is 5625 ft.

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 Solution Example # 03

• Given Data:
Angle AEF = α = 28o 12'
Angle AFE = β = 32o 24'
EF =599.7 ft
• Calculations:

DE =T1E = LT 1 = Rtan (α / 2)
DF = T2F = LT 2 = Rtan (β / 2)

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 Solution Example # 03
EF = ED + GF
599.7 = Rtan (α /2) + Rtan (β / 2)
= R [tan (α /2) + tan (β / 2)]
R = (599.7) / [tan (14o 06') + tan (16o 12')]
R =1107 ft
In Triangle AEF:
Angle EAF = 180o - α – β
= 180o - 28o 12' – 32o 26‘
I = 119o 24'

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 Solution Example # 03
• AE / sinβ = EF / sinI
• AE = (EF x sinβ) / sinI
= [599.7 x sin (32o 24')] / sin (119o 24')
AE = 368.83 ft
• Chainage of T1 = Chainage of A – T1E – AE
= 5625 – Rtan (α / 2) – 368.83
= 5625 – (1107) x tan (14o 6') – 368.83
= 4978.11 ft
• Chainage of T2 = Chainage of T1 + Arc length (T1PT2)
= 4978.11 + [π x R x (α + β)] / 180o
= 6148.950 ft

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 Example # 04

• The wire is tangential to each of the following line.

Line W.C.B Length
AB 00o 00' ----
BC 270o 00' 550 ft
CD 220o 00' ----

• Find the radius of the curve and tangent lengths ?

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 Solution Example # 04

• Now,
Ф2 = 90o
I2 = 90o
Ф1 = 270o – 220o
Ф1 = 50o
I1 = 180o – Ф1
= 180o – 50o
I1 = 130o

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 Solution Example # 04
• T1C=CT2 = R tan(Ф/2) & T2B=BT3 = R tan(Ф/2)
= R tan (25o) = R tan (45o)
• BC = CT2 + T2B
= R tan (25o) + R tan (45o)
550 = R [tan(25o) + tan(45o)]
R = 375.09 ft
So;
• Tangents length:
T1C = CT2 = R tan(25o) = 174.9 ft
T3B = T2B = R tan(45o) = 375.1 ft

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 When PI of tangent line is Inaccessible

• When Intersection point fall in a river

or lake
• It is required to determine value of
the deflection angle
• Fix point let say M and N of tangents
• M and N should be intervisible
• Select M and N on level ground
• If ground beyond the curve are not
suitable, you may fix point inside the
curve

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 When PI of tangent line is Inaccessible

• Set up the instrument on M and

measure angle AMN
• Shift the instrument to N and
measure angle BNM
• NOW compute α and β from
angle AMN and BNM.

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 Example # 05

Two straights AB and BC meet in an inaccessible point B and were joined by a

circular curve of 450ft radius. Two points M and N were selected on AB and
BC respectively, and following data were obtained.
Angle AMN= 140o 00’, Angle BMN= 138o 30’
MN = 150 ft
Compute all elements of simple curve.

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 REFRENCES/SELF READING

Pls. go through the following books chapters.

1. Chapter 05 from book

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THANKS