CURVES

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CURVES
• WHY??
•WHAT??
•PARAMETERS??
2
•NECESSITY ARISES DUE TO
PHYSICAL & GEOGRAPHICAL
FEATURES
•NECESSARY EVIL
•CURVE IS A LINE OF WHICH NO
PART IS STRAIGHT AND WHICH
CHANGES DIRECTION WITHOUT
ANGLES
•POSITIVE IMPEDIMENTS FOR
HIGHER SPEEDS 3
 ANGULARITY OF AXLE WHILE
NEGOTIATING A CURVE
Angle of
α attack

•PLAY HELPS THE WHEEL NEGOTIATE CURVE

•A BOGIE WHICH CAN TAKE RADIAL POSITION ON THE
CURVES IS BETTER
•GUIDANCE SHALL BE FROM THE TRACK GUIDANCE AND
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NOT FLANGE CONTACT
 CURVE DESIGNATION
• CURVES ARE DESIGNATED BY
THEIR RADII, EXCEPT ON IR & US
RAIL ROADS
• ON IR DEGREE OF CURVE FOR
DESIGNATION
– RADII FOR CALCULATION

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

D = 1750/R

R
R D

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 ON IR, THE CURVES ARE MEASURED BY
VERSINE- WHICH IS MID CHORD OFFSET ON
20m CHORD
V*(2R-V) = C/2*C/2
2RV=C2/4
2
V = C /8R

V
C
2R

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 PARAMETERS OF CURVES
• RADIUS, R AND DEGREE OF CURVE, D
• ACTUAL CANT Ca
• CANT DEFICIENCY Cd
• CANT EXCESS Cex
• EQUILIBRIUM CANT Ce / EQUILIBRIUM
SPEED Ve
• RATE OF CHANGE OF ACTUAL CANT rca
• RATE OF CHANGE OF CANT DEFICIENCY
rcd
• CANT GRADIENT, i 8

• LENGTH OF TRANSITION, L
9
 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
– CURVE RESISTANCE
– WEAR OF RAIL & WHEEL FLANGE
– LATERAL FORCE ON TRACK
STRUCTURE
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 COMPENSATION FOR
CURVATURE ON GRADIENT
• COMPENSATION ALLOWED ON
GRADIENTS DUE TO CURVATURE
– 70/R
– 0.04% PER DEGREE

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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
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 EQUILIBRIUM CANT
• IRPWM STIPULATION
• EQUILIBRIUM SPEED IS TO BE
DECIDED BY CE CONSIDERING
– MAX. SPEEDS OF FAST & SLOW MOVING
TRAINS
– PERMANENT SPEED RESTRICTION
– JUNCTIONS
– STOPPING PLACES
– GRADIENT AFFECTING SPEED OF GOODS
TRAIN
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 Equilibrium Speed
• Russian Formula:
m


2
niWiV i
V eq i
m

 i
niW i

– ni: no of trains, wi: weight of such train, Vi:

speed of such train, m: types of trains
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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
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 MAXIMUM VALUE OF CANT
CANT Cmax
COUNTRY GAUGE (mm) (mm) Cmax/G
INDIA
-B.G. 1676 165 0.098
-M.G. 1000 90 0.09
DB 1435 150 0.104
SNCF(TGV) 1435 180 0.125
BR 1435 150 0.104
JNR 1435 180 0.125
JNR(MG) 1067 105 0.098

THE MAXM VALUE OF CANT PROVIDED ON WORLD RAILWAYS

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 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
ROUTE
– 185 MM FOR STRUCTURES
– 140 MM FOR GROUP D AND E
ROUTE 20
Cant Deficiency

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 CANT DEFICIENCY Cd
• SAFETY
– UPTO 175 mm SAFE WITH CRITICAL WIND
VELOCITY
• COMFORT CRITERIA
– DISCOMFORT IF UNBALANCED LATERAL
ACCELERATION IS GREATER THAN 0.1g
– CANT DEFICIENCY SHOULD BE LESS THAN
0.1G
• OBSERVED VALUE OF ULA IS MORE
THAN THE THEORETICAL VALUE 22
 MAXIMUM VALUE OF
CANT DEFICIENCY
CANT THEORETICAL VALUE OF ACTUAL VALUE OF
DEFICIENCY UNBALANCED LATERAL UNBALANCED LATERAL
'(mm) ACCELERATION m/sec
2
ACCELERATION IN m/sec
2

WDM4 ICF ALL COILED

COACH
75 0.42 0.51 0.49
100 0.56 0.68 0.67
125 0.70 0.80 0.81
150 0.84 0.98 0.91
UIC RECOMMENDATION 0.4 TO 0.7 m/sec2
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Cant Excess

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 CANT EXCESS Cex
• NO COMFORT CONSIDERATION
• MAINTENANCE CONSIDERATION
– EXCESS WEAR ON INNER RAIL
– MORE THE VOLUME OF GOODS
TRAFFIC LESSER WOULD BE CANT
EXCESS
• WORKED OUT FOR BOOKED
SPEED OF GOODS TRAINS.
– NORMALLY 65 KMPH ON BG. 25
 Cant Excess values
SNCF
IMPORTANCE TONNAGE PER DAY CANT EXCESS
VERY IMP. >45000 70
IMPORTANT 25,000 TO 45,000 80
MEDIUM 10,000 TO 25,000 90
UNIMPORTANT <10,000 100

DB
IMPORTANCE TONNAGE PER DAY CANT EXCESS
VERY IMP. >60,000 50
IMPORTANT 30,000 TO 60,000 70
MEDIUM 10,000 TO 30,000 90 26
UNIMPORTANT <10,000 110
 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• 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
• CANT EXCESS (406(3))
– 75 MM
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 TRANSITION CURVE
•TRANSITION CURVE IS AN EASEMENT CURVE
INTRODUCED BETWEEN STRAIGHT & CURVED
TRACK TO FACILITATE GRADUAL CHANGE OF
VERSINES & SUPERELEVATION
•ON INDIAN RAILWAYS, IT IS CUBICAL
PARABOLA WITH THE EQUATION:
Y = KX3
•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.
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 TRANSITION CURVES
• CURVATURE VARIES UNIFORMLY
WITH DISTANCE
• VERSINES VARY UNIFORMLY
• CANT VARIES UNIFORMLY

V Ca

VERSINE AND CANT DIAGRAM OF A

CURVE 30
 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
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 LENGTH OF TRANSITION
• COMFORT CRITERIA
– RATE OF CHANGE OF ULA LESS THAN
0.03g
– RATE OF CHANGE OF Cd <0.03G
– FIXED AS 35 mm /sec
– RATE OF CHANGE OF Ca IS JUST
NOTICEABLE AT 65 TO 75mm/sec BUT
FIXED AS 35 mm /sec
– UNDER EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES
IT CAN BE INCREASED TO 55 mm /sec 32
 LENGTH OF TRANSITION
• SAFETY CRITERIA
– CANT GRADIENT CAUSES TWIST IN TRACK
– LIMITED TO 1.4 mm/m
– CANT GRADIENT – 1 IN 720
– IN EXCEPTIONAL CASES IT CAN BE 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
• MINIMUM LENGTH OF TRANSITION
WILL BE MAX OF
• 2/3RD OF L1
• 2/3RD OF L2
• ½ OF L3
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 SUITABILITY OF CUBIC
PARABOLA AS TRANSITION
• FOR SPEEDS ABOVE 130 KMPH,
CUBIC PARABOLA IS NOT
SUITABLE AS THE EFFECT OF
END CONDITIONS GETS
PRONOUNCED.
• ALTERNATIVE SHAPES ARE
– FOURTH ORDER PARABOLA
– HALF SINE CURVE
– FULL SINE CURVE 36
V

VIRTUAL
TRANSITION

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 VIRTUAL TRANSITION
• IF THERE IS NO SPACE FOR
TRANSITION, THE BOGIE
LENGTH BECOMES THE
TRANSITION VIRTUALLY
– For BG- 14.6 M
– For MG-13.7 M

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COMPOUND AND REVERSE
CURVES
For Reverse Curve:
Length of transition will
be MAX. of
L
=0.008*(Ca1+Ca2)*V
m
L =0.008
(Cd1+Cd2)*Vm
L =0.72 (Ca1+Ca2)

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 COMPOUND AND REVERSE
CURVES
• For Compound Curves:
Length of transition
will be MAX. of
• L =0.008 (Ca1-Ca2)*Vm
• L =0.008 (Cd1-Cd2)*Vm
• L =0.72 (Ca1-Ca2)
• If length is coming less than virtual transition
then common transition is deleted and the
cant is run out on the length of virtual
transition 40
 REVERSE CURVES
• For high speeds in Group A and B
routes a straight of 50m length shall be
kept
• Otherwise, increase the transition
length to eliminate the straight
• If neither of the above two are possible
than speed restriction of 130 KMPH on
BG
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Vertical Curves

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 VERTICAL CURVES
• VERTICAL CURVES ARE PROVIDED AT
THOSE LOCATIONS WHERE ALGEBRAIC
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GRADES IS
EQUAL TO OR MORE THAN 0.4%
(4mm/m)
ROUTE MIN.RADIUS (m)
A 4000
B 3000
C,D,E &MG 2500
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 Extra
Clearances
on curves
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CLEARANCE ON CURVES- LEAN
L

Ca

L = H*Ca/G
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 ADDITIONAL ALLOWANCE
DUE TO SWAY
• INSIDE
–¼ OF LEAN DUE TO
SUPERELEVATION
• OUTSIDE
– NIL

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Extra Clearances on Curves

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ADDITIONAL CLEARANCES ON
CURVES
OVER THROW Vo
CENTRE
LINE END
OF COACH THRO
W VE

BOGIE BOGIE
CENTRE CENTRE CENTRE
LINE
14.785 OF TRACK

21.340

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 EXTRA CLEARANCE DUE
TO CURVATURE
• PLATFORMS/ STRUCTURES
• INSIDE OF CURVE
– (VO+L+S-51)
• OUTSIDE OF CURVE
– (VE-25)mm
• BETWEEN ADJACENT TRACKS
– VO+ VE+2*(L/4)
• In new works, if c/c track is 5300 mm, extra
clearance is to be provided for curves beyond
5 degrees only. 49
 TURNOUTS TAKING OFF
FROM CURVES
• SIMILAR FLEXURE
– EQUIVALENT RADIUS
Re=Rm*Rs/(Rm+Rs)
Rm: MAIN LINE RADIUS
Rs: SWITCH RADIUS
Re: EQUIVALENT
RADIUS

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• CONTRARY
FLEXURE
– EQUIVALENT
RADIUS
Re=Rm*Rs/(Rm-Rs)

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 TURNOUTS OF CONTRARY
FLEXURE
• CURVES OF CONTRARY FLEXURE
– EQUILIBRIUM SUPER ELEVATION FOR
TURNOUT SIDE
• C= G * V2 / 127 * R; V: SPEED KPMH FOR
TURNOUT, R: Metres, C: MM, G: MM
– NEGATIVE SUPERELEVATION FOR
TURNOUT IS 75-C
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 CHECK RAILS ON CURVES
TOO MUCH WEAR
ON OUTER RAIL IN
SHARP CURVES
CHECK
CLEAR-
RAIL
ANCE

• PARA 426 IRPWM

• CL. 4, CHAPTER 1, BG SOD
• ON CURVES OF 8 DEGREES & ABOVE
• MIN. CLEARANCE = 44 mm
• CLEARANCE = 44 + (G-1676)/2 53
 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• INSPECTIONS
– AEN TO INSPECT ONE CURVE IN EACH PWI
JURISDICTION EVERY QUARTER (107(4))
– PWI INCHARGE AND HIS ASSISTANT SHALL
INSPECT CURVES ONCE IN SIX MONTHS
ALTERNATELY EXCEPT AT GROUP A AND B
ROUTES WHERE INSPECTION IS TO BE DONE
ONCE IN FOUR MONTHS (124(4), 139(4))
– FOR CONCRETE SLEEPER TRACK, ONCE IN
SIX MONTHS BY ROTATION (124A, 139A)
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 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• LATERAL WEAR ON RAILS IN CURVES
(301(b)(iv))
– GROUP A AND B : 8 MM
– GROUP C AND D : 10 MM
• MINIMISING WEAR ON OUTER RAIL
(427(2))
– RAIL FLANGE LUBRICATORS SHALL BE
PROVIDED IN CURVES LESS THAN 600 M
RADIUS. FIRST ONE SHALL BE AHEAD OF
THE CURVE 55
 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• CUT IN RAILS IN SWR TRACK (424 )
– TO MAKE THE JOINTS SQUARE WHEN
THE GAIN OF INNER RAIL BECOMES
EQUAL TO PITCH OF THE FIRST BOLT
HOLE
– GAIN OF INNER RAIL GIVEN BY: d=
LG/R, L IS LENGTH OF CURVE.
• ON CURVES LESS THAN 400 M
RADIUS, THE JOINTS SHALL BE LAID
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STAGGERED
 IRPWM PROVISIONS
AFTER RELAYING
• VERSINE VARIATION OVER
THEORETICAL (316)
– 600 M RADIUS AND MORE: 5 MM
– LESS THAN 600 M RADIUS: 10 MM
• GAUGE IN TRACK ON CURVES (403(1))
– MORE THAN 350 M RADIUS: -5 MM TO + 3 MM
– LESS THAN 350 M RADIUS: +10 MM

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 IRPWM PROVISIONS
IN SERVICE PARAMETERS
• GAUGE (224(2)(e)(v))
– ON STRAIGHT : (-) 6 MM TO (+) 6
MM
– ON CURVES RADIUS 350 M OR
MORE: (-) 6 MM TO (+) 15 MM
– ON CURVES RADIUS LESS
THAN 350 M: UPTO (+) 20 MM 58
 IRPWM PROVISIONS
IN SERVICE TOLERANCES (SPEED
>100 KMPH, <140 KMPH)
• TWIST (607(2)(iii))
– ON STRAIGHT/CURVES
• NORMAL 2 mm/M
• ISOLATED 3.5 mm/M
– ON TRANSITIONS
• NORMAL 1mm/M
• ISOLATED 2.1 mm/M
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 IRPWM PROVISIONS
IN SERVICE TOLERANCES (SPEED >100
KMPH, <140 KMPH)
• ALIGNMENT (607(2)(i)) 7.5 M CHORD
– ON STRAIGHT
• NORMAL 5 mm
• ISOLATED 10 mm
– ON CURVES
• NORMAL ±5 mm OVER AVERAGE VERSINE
• ISOLATED ±7 mm OVER AVERAGE VERSINE
• CHORD TO CHORD > 10 mm 60
 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• RADIUS OF CURVE (401(1))
– R = 125C2/V
• FOR MEASURING VERSINES (401(3))
– NORMAL: 20 M CHORD OVERLAPPING
WITH STATIONS AT 10 M
– P & Cs: 6 M CHORD OVERLAPPING WITH
STATIONS AT 1.5 M
• INNER RAIL IS TAKEN AS REFERENCE
AND OUTER RAIL IS RAISED BY
AMOUNT OF SUPERELEVATION(402)
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 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• SAFE SPEED ON A CURVE (405(1)(a))
– V = 0.27 √R (Ca + Cd)
• NON TRANSITIONED CURVE (405(2)(a))
– LENGTH OF TRANSITION : 14.6 M
• ON OUTSIDE OF CURVES, EXTRA WIDTH OF
BALLAST TO BE PROVIDED
– 150 MM: FOR LWR TRACK (ANN 2/11 AND 2/12)
– 95 MM: ON FISH PLATED TRACK, RADIUS LESS
THAN 400 M (ANN 2/13 )

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 LEAD CURVE FOLLOWING
TURNOUT
• MINIMUM RADIUS OF LEAD AND TURN IN
CURVE (410(2)) : 350 M
• MIN RADIUS IN LEAD 220 M, IN EXCEPTIONAL
CIRCUMSTANCES (WITH PSC/ST SLEEPERS
AND FULL ML BALLAST PROFILE)
• THERE SHALL BE NO CHANGE IN
SUPERELEVATION 20 M ON EITHER SIDE OF
THE TOE OF SWITCH AND NOSE OF CROSSING
– TURNOUT FOLLOWED BY REVERSE CURVE,
CHANGE IN CANT BEHIND CROSSING IS PERMITTED.
CANT LIMITED TO 65 MM, RUN OUT AT 2.8 MM/M63
 LEAD CURVE FOLLOWING
TURNOUT
The variation in versines on two
successive stations in lead curve and
turn in curve portions should not be more
than 4mm. And versine at each station
should also not be beyond ± 3mm. from
its designed value (237(4)(d))

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 LIMITING RADII
• BG : 175 M
• MG: 109 M
• NG: 44 M
– Item 2, Chapter I, Schedule I of SOD

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 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• CURVE BOARDS(409(1))
– CURVE BOARD SHALL BE
PROVIDED AT TANGENT POINT
ON OUTSIDE OF THE CURVE
• CURVE POSTS (409(2))
– RAIL POSTS INDICATING
BEGINNING AND END OF
TRANSITION, PAINTED RED AND
66
WHITE SHALL BE PROVIDED
 IRPWM PROVISIONS
• SUPERELEVATION MARKING ON RAILS
(409(3))
– VALUE OF SUPERELEVATION SHALL BE
MARKED ON THE WEB OF INSIDE RAIL AT
VERSINE STATIONS IN TRANSITION PORTION
– VALUE AS ABOVE SHALL BE MARKED AT THE
BEGINNING AND END OF THE CIRCULAR
CURVE
– FOR LONGER CURVES, THE VALUE OF
SUPERELEVATION SHALL BE REPEATED AS 67
ABOVE AT INTERVALS NOT EXCEEDING 250 M
68