CURVES

1
 Limiting radii
• BG : 175 M
• MG: 109 M
• NG: 44 M
– Item 2, Chapter I, Schedule I of SOD

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 DEGREE OF CURVE IS THE
ANGLE SUBTENDED BY 30.5m
CHORD AT THE CENTRE
30.5m (100 feet )

D = 1750/R

R D R

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 ON IR, THE CURVES ARE MEASURED BY
VERSINE- WHICH IS MID CHORD OFFSET ON
20m CHORD
By Property Of Circle, V*(2R-V) = C/2*C/2
i.e. 2RV=C2/4 [NEGLECTING V2]
2
i.e. Versine, V = C /8R

V
C 2R-V
R
2R C
V
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 Effects of curves
• Vehicle Running At A Speed Of V In A
Curve Of Radius R Experiences A
Centrifugal Force = MV2/R
• UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS
– Possible passenger discomfort
– Possible displacement of loads
– Risk of vehicle overturning
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 Effects of curves
• Risk of derailment
• High lateral force resulting in
maintenance problems
– Wear of rail & wheel flange
– Lateral force on track structure
– Curve resistance

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Superelevation/ Cant

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SUPERELEVATION / CANT
• The effect of centrifugal force is
eliminated/reduced by raising the
outer rail by a specified amount.
This raising of outer rail over inner
rail is called
SUPERELEVATION/CANT
• The force due to the raising of the
outer rail is exerted inwards and is
called CENTRIPETAL FORCE
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 VEHICLE ON A CANTED
TRACK

Centrifugal 
Force
Centripetal Force Wsinθ

SE
G


W
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 EQUILIBRIUM CANT
When on circular motion , if the
resultant of weight & centrifugal
force is perpendicular to the plane
of rail & passes through the
centre of track, the corresponding
speed is called EQUILIBRIUM
SPEED & the cant is called
EQUILIBRIUM CANT 24
 EQUILIBRIUM CANT
W*sinθ = Centrifugal Force = M*V2/R
i.e. M*g*SE/G = M*V2/R
i.e. Equilibrium Cant, SE=G*V2/(g*R)
=G*V2/(127*R)
Para 406(a) of IRPWM

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 ACTUAL CANT Ca
• Maintenance criteria
– High cant will cause rolling of ballast & flattening
of inner rail
• Overturning at inner rail
– Not very sensitive to wind force
• Safety against derailment
– Empty wagon stopped & started
• Comfort criteria
– No appreciable discomfort upto 180 mm
• Limited to 1/8 to 1/10 of dynamic gauge 26
 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• EQUILIBRIUM CANT (406(1)(a))
– C=GV2/(127 R)
• MAXIMUM CANT (406(1)(d)(i))
– 165 MM for group A, B and C routes
– 185 MM for structures
– 140 MM for group D and E routes

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 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• MAX. CANT DEFICIENCY(406(2))
– For Group A And B Routes For
Speeds In Excess Of 100 KMPH
For Nominated Stock Runs With
Permission Of CE : 100 MM
– For Others : 75 MM

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 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• CANT EXCESS (406(3))
– Max. 75 mm
–Sections carrying predominantly
goods traffic shall have less cant
to reduce wear on inner rail
–Worked out for booked speed of
goods trains. 35
 REQUIREMENT FROM
TRANSITION CURVES
• Curvature shall vary uniformly with
distance
– Curvature = 1/R
– Versines shall vary uniformly
• Cant shall vary uniformly
• Transition shall be tangential to the straight
as well as circular curve
– Radius infinity at junction with straight
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– Radius R at junction with circular curve
 TRANSITION CURVE
•The spiral, which changes the direction
angle uniformly, is the ideal transition
•There is not much difference in the layout of
the spiral and cubic parabola until the
deflection from straight is approx 4 M.
•On Indian Railways, it is cubical parabola
with the equation: Y = KX3

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DESIRABLE VERSINE AND CANT
DIAGRAM OF A CURVE

V Ca

Transition Transition

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 SHIFT TRANSITION
CURVES

INSERTING TRANSITION CURVES 41

 SHIFT ON TRANSITION
CURVE
CIRCULAR CIRCULAR
EXTENDED CURVE WITH CURVE WITHOUT
CIRCULAR TRANSITION TRANSITION
CURVE

C D B

E
TRANSITION CURVE
S H TANGENT

S/2

A L/2 F L/2 G

SHIFT, S = L2/24R
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BG=L2/8R DE=L2/6R
 LENGTH OF TRANSITION
• COMFORT CRITERIA
– RATE OF CHANGE OF ULA
LESS THAN 0.03g
– RATE OF CHANGE OF Cd <0.03G
– HOWEVER, NORMALLY SHALL
NOT EXCEED 35 mm /sec
– UNDER EXCEPTIONAL
CIRCUMSTANCES IT CAN BE
INCREASED TO 55 mm /sec 43
 LENGTH OF TRANSITION
• COMFORT CRITERIA
– For slower speeds, the actual cant
causes similar comfort problems
– Rate of change of Ca is just noticeable
at 65 TO 75mm/sec but normally shall
not exceed 35 mm /sec
– Under Exceptional Circumstances It
Can Be Increased To 55 mm /sec
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 LENGTH OF TRANSITION
• TWIST CRITERIA
– Cant gradient causes twist in track
– Limited to 1.4 mm/m or cant gradient
– 1 in 720
– In Exceptional Cases It Can Be 2.8
mm/M OR 1 in 360
– Future Layouts With 1 in 1200

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 LENGTH OF TRANSITION

• Length of transition will be

max. of
• L1 =0.008 Ca*Vm
• L2 =0.008 Cd*Vm
• L3 =0.72 Ca

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 LENGTH OF TRANSITION
• In exceptional circumstances,
minimum length of transition
will be max of
• 2/3RD OF L1
• 2/3RD OF L2
• ½ OF L3
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 PROCEDURE TO FIND OUT
SPEED ON CURVE
• Find out the equilibrium cant for the
maximum speed
– Find out the minimum cant required by
deducting the cant deficiency from above
• Find out the cant required for booked
speed of goods trains.
– Add cant excess and find out the maximum
cant permissible
• The cant to be provided shall be between
the two values computed above 48
 PROCEDURE TO FIND OUT
SPEED ON CURVE
• Cant To Be Provided Shall Also Be Less Than
The Maximum Permissible As Per IRPWM
• Corresponding to actual cant provided, find out
maximum speed
• Find out the desirable/ minimum transition length
• If shift is not possible, restrict length of transition
and work out cant and speed permissible
corresponding to the reduced length available

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V

VIRTUAL
TRANSITION

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 VIRTUAL TRANSITION
• If There Is No Space For Transition,
circular curve immediately follows
the straight but the Bogie Length
Becomes The Transition Virtually
– For BG- 14.6 M
– For MG-13.7 M
• Cant is provided in virtual transition length
– half in straight and half in circular curve
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Turnouts taking off from
curve

Curved
Re
main
Line
Rs R
Rm

Straight Main Line 52