Visayas State University

College of Engineering
Department of Geodetic Engineering
VSU, Baybay City 6521, Leyte, Philippines

GEng 133g – Construction and Industrial Survey

Laboratory Exercise No. 3

Laying Out a Compound Curve

Name: _____________________ Date Performed: _______ Score: _________________

Course and Year: ____________ Date Submitted: ________ Members Present: ________

I. Introduction. (Make your own.)

II. Objective:
To layout a compound curve by deflection angle and chord distance.
III. Instruments:
Transit/theodolite
Steel tape
Chaining pins
Range poles
IV. Procedure:
A. Elements of a Compound Curve
a. Before proceeding to the field, the table below must be filled up first the necessary data
in laying out a compound curve.
Consider a compound curve with D1=8º, T1=35.03 M, Δ1=5º36’, L1=70 M; D2=5º, T2=47.53
M, Δ2=4º45’, L2=95 M and PI1 to PI2 = 82.56 M. Azimuth of BC to PI1 = 59º24’1.7”
STATION CHORD DISTANCE DEFLECTION CURVE DATA
(stationing) ANGLE
Sta. PT.

Sta. PCC

Sta. PC

B. Establishing PC and PCC..

a. In establishing PC and PCC. Set-up and level the instrument at the vertex of the back
curve. Set the horizontal circle to zero and take a backsight to sta. PCC and establish PC
by measuring the tangent distance of the back curve from the vertex of the first curve.
b. After taking backsight to PC, direct the telescope (with still 0o0’0” in the horizontal circle),
take a foresight reading equal to I1, and establish PCC by measuring the tangent from the
vertex to PCC.
 C. Checking the Measured Angle
a. Set-up and level the instrument at PCC.
b. Measure the total deflection angle from PI to PCC. The angle reading on the horizontal

circle must be equal to , if an error exists the procedure above must be repeated
before proceeding procedure D.

D. Laying out (intermediate points) 20-m Full Station of the First Curve
a. With the instrument at PC, set on the horizontal circle the deflection angle of the first
station, and lay out station 1 by measuring the chord distance from PC.
b. Repeat procedure D.a in laying out succeeding points/station.

E. Laying out the Second Curve.

a. In laying out the second curve, set up the instrument at PCC and repeat the procedure
above.

V. Computations: