PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY – URDANETA CAMPUS
Module in CE 211-ENGINEERING SURVEYS
TOPIC OUTLINE
A. Simple Curves
B. Compound Curves
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. To be able to learn,
compute and design roads
using simple and compound
curve.
2. To be able to learn the
terminologies being used
in simple and compound
curve.
OVERVIEW
Curves are regular bends
provided in the lines of
communication like roads,
railways etc. and also in
canals to bring about the
gradual change of direction.
They are also used in the
vertical plane at all changes
of grade to avoid the abrupt
change of grade at the apex.
A compound curve consists of
two (or more) circular
curves between two main
tangents joined at point of
compound curve (PCC). Curve
at PC is designated as 1
(R1, L1, T1, etc) and curve
at PT is designated as 2
(R2, L2, T2, etc).
TERMINOLOGIES IN SIMPLE
CURVE
PC = Point of curvature. It is
the beginning of curve.
1
Module No. 16
PT = Point of tangency. It is
the end of curve.
PI = Point of intersection of
the tangents. Also called
vertex
T = Length of tangent
from PC to PI and
from PI to PT. It is known as
subtangent.
R = Radius of simple curve, or
simply radius.
L = Length of chord
from PC to PT. Point Q as shown
below is the midpoint of L.
Lc = Length of curve
from PC to PT. Point M in the
the figure is the midpoint
of Lc.
E = External distance, the
nearest distance from PI to the
curve.
m = Middle ordinate, the
distance from midpoint of curve
to midpoint of chord.
I = Deflection angle (also
called angle of
intersection and central
angle). It is the angle of
intersection of the tangents.
The angle subtended
by PC and PT at O is also equal
to I, where O is the center of
the circular curve from the
above figure.
x = offset distance from
tangent to the curve.
Note: x is perpendicular to T.
θ = offset angle subtended
at PC between PI and any point
in the curve
D = Degree of curve. It is the
central angle subtended by a
length of curve equal to one
station. In English system, one
station is equal to 100 ft and
in SI, one station is equal to
20 m.
Sub chord = chord distance
between two adjacent full
stations.
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY – URDANETA CAMPUS
Module in CE 211-ENGINEERING SURVEYS Module No. 15

Sharpness of circular curve Middle ordinate, m

The smaller is the degree of
curve, the flatter is the curve
and vice versa. The sharpness
of simple curve is also
determined by radius R. Large
radius are flat whereas small
Middle ordinate is the distance
from the midpoint of the curve
to the midpoint of the chord.
From right triangle O-Q-PT,
𝐼 𝑅−𝑚
cos =
2 𝑅

radius is sharp. Rcos𝐼 = R−m

2

m = R − Rcos𝑰
𝟐
SIMPLE CURVE
Length of long chord, L
Length of long chord or simply
length of chord is the distance
from PC to PT. Again, from
right triangle O-Q-PT,

𝐼 𝐿/2
sin 2 = 𝑅
Rsin 𝐼 =L/2
2

L = 2Rsin𝑰
𝟐

Length of curve, Lc
Length of curve
from PC to PT is the road
distance between ends of the
simple curve. By ratio and
proportion,
Length of tangent, T 𝐿𝑐 2𝜋𝑅
Length of tangent (also =
𝐼 360°
referred to as subtangent) is
the distance from PC to PI. It Lc =
𝝅𝑹𝑰
is the same distance 𝟏𝟖𝟎°
from PI to PT. From the right
An alternate formula for the
triangle PI-PT-O, tan 𝐼 = 𝑇 length of curve is by ratio and
2 𝑅
proportion with its degree of
T = Rtan𝑰 curve.
𝟐
𝐿𝑐 1 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
External distance, E =
𝐼 𝐷
External distance is the Lc =
1 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑥 𝐼
distance from PI to the 𝐷
midpoint of the curve. From the
same right triangle PI-PT-O, SI units: 1 station = 20 m
cos 𝐼 = 𝑅 𝟐𝟎𝑰
2 𝑅+𝐸 Lc = 𝑫

R+E= 𝑅
𝐶𝑂𝑆 𝐼
2

E = Rsec 𝑰 − R
𝟐
2
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY – URDANETA CAMPUS
Module in CE 211-ENGINEERING SURVEYS Module No. 16

English system: 1 station = 100 English system (1 station =

ft 100 ft):

𝟏𝟎𝟎𝑰 100 2𝜋𝑅

Lc = =
𝑫 𝐷 360°

If given the stationing 𝐷=

1145.916(5)
of PC and PT 𝑅
Lc=Stationing of PT− Stationing 𝟓𝟕𝟐𝟗.𝟓𝟖
of PC 𝑫= 𝑹

Degree of curve, D
The degree of curve is the Chord Basis
central angle subtended by an Chord definition is used in
arc (arc basis) or chord (chord railway design. The degree of
basis) of one station. It will curve is the central angle
define the sharpness of the subtended by one station length
curve. In English system, 1 of chord. From the dotted right
station is equal to 100 ft. In triangle below,
SI, 1 station is equal to 20 m.
It is important to note that
100 ft is equal to 30.48 m not
20 m.

Arc Basis
In arc definition, the degree
of curve is the central angle
angle subtended by one station
of circular arc. This
definition is used in highways.
Using ratio and proportion,
𝐷 ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑠𝑖𝑛 =
2 𝑅

SI units (half station = 10m):

𝑫 𝟏𝟎
𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟐
= 𝑹

English system (half station =

50 ft):

𝑫 𝟓𝟎
𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝟐
= 𝑹

1 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 2𝜋𝑅
=
𝐷 360°

SI units (1 station = 20 m):

20 2𝜋𝑅
=
𝐷 360°

𝟏𝟏𝟒𝟓.𝟗𝟏𝟔
𝑫= 𝑹

3
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY – URDANETA CAMPUS
Module in CE 211-ENGINEERING SURVEYS
COMPOUND CURVE AND
TERMINOLOGIES
PC = point of curvature
PT = point of tangency
PI = point of intersection
PCC = point of compound curve
T1 = length of tangent of the
first curve
T2 = length of tangent of the
second curve
V1 = vertex of the first curve
V2 = vertex of the second curve
I1 = central angle of the first
curve
I2 = central angle of the
second curve
I = angle of intersection
= I1 + I2
Lc1 = length of first curve
Lc2 = length of second curve
L1 = length of first chord
L2 = length of second chord
L = length of long chord
from PC to PT
T1 + T2 = length of common
tangent measured from V1 to V2
θ = 180° - I
x and y can be found from
triangle V1-V2-PI.
L can be found from
triangle PC-PCC-PT
Module No. 15
LEARNING ACTIVITY
Problem 1. The tangent distance
of a 3° simple curve is only ½
of its radius.
a) Compute the angle of
intersection of the curve
b) Compute the length of
curve.
c) Compute the area of the
fillet of the curve.
Problem 2. A simple curve
connects two tangents AB and BC
with bearings N 85°30’ E and S
68°30’ E respectively. If the
stationing of the vertex is
4+360.2 and the stationing of
PC is at 4+288.4
a) Determine the radius
b) Determine the external
distance
c) Determine the middle
ordinate
d) Determine the chord
distance
e) Determine the length of
curve
Problem 3. A compound curve has
a common tangent 84.5m long
which makes angles of 16° and
20° with the tangents of the
first curve and the second
curves respectively. The length
of the tangent of the first
curve is 38.6m. What is the
radius of the second curve?
Problem 4. A compound curve has
a common tangent of 84.5m long
which makes an angle of 16° and
20° with the tangents of the
first curve and the second
curve respectively. The length
of the tangent of the second
curve is 42.0m.
a) What is the radius of the
first curve
b) Find the radius of the
second curve
4
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY – URDANETA CAMPUS
Module in CE 211-ENGINEERING SURVEYS Module No. 16

c) Find the length of curve

from PC to PT.

SUMMARY

The simple curve is an arc of a

circle. It is the most used.
The radius of the circle
determines the “sharpness” or
“flatness” of the curve. The
larger the radius, the
“flatter” the curve.

REFERENCES

https://mathalino.com/reviewer/
surveying-and-transportation-
engineering/problem-03-simple-
curve

Prepared by:

ENGR. ELMAR T. ANTOLIN

Faculty, Civil Engineering
Department
College of Engineering and
Architecture