x x Chapter 8 CURVES AND CURVE SETTING 8.1 INTRODUCTION It is never possible to have straigt ligaments require cha unavoid; angle, tht highways or railways in a country. These straight ges due to the nature of the terrain, cultural features and other He reasons, A curve is usually used to connect two straight lengths meeting at an 84 TYPES OF CURVES In general, curves may be classified in two main groups: 1. Circular curves 2. Parabolic curves Again, there are three types of circular curves, nameiy i) Simple ii) Compound iii) Reverse and there are two types of parabolic curves, namely i) Transition ii) Vertical \Sifmple Curve: It is a circular curve Connecting two straight lengths meeting at an angle (Fig.8.1). Fig8.1 Simple curve Fig. 8.2 Compound curve Be raptna Conners h Compound curve consists of two ares of different radii bending in the same ection and lie on the same side of their common tangent at their junction, their centers being on the same side of the curve (g.8.2), Aeverse or Serpentine or § Curve: A reverse curve is composed of two ilferent radii bending in the opposite directions of their common tangent their centers being on opposite sides of the curve (Fig, 8.3) ares of equal or at their junction, Traealion or Easement Curve: Whenever it is intended to change the passage of a vehicle Tom @ straight to a circular curve as easy and free from shocks as possible, a smail intermediary length of a curve is introduced conneeting the straight road with the circular curve, This curve is known as the transition or easement curve (Eig. 8.4). 92 iniaiiieaN Y Leminseote 7 n of Bernolli, Py Te -Cu Parabola, D y be : Spiral E oO ° Saas ig. 8.3 Reverse curve Fig. 8.4 Transition curve Transition curves are of three different i) Cubic parabola ii) Leminscate of Bemolli iii) Spiral ‘ as shown in Fig. 8.4 types, namely ertical Curve: When an ascendin; i grade is followed by a descending grade ot vice versa as in highways and railways, it is always desirable to round off at the junction by Providing a curve, which is generally an are of a parabola. Such a curve is called » veriog Tne £8: 85). There are two types of vertical curves: (3) summit curve, and (i) sag curve. If an ascending grade is followed by a descending grade, the two grades are joined bya summit curve (Fig. 8.5a). On the other hand, if a descending grade is followed by an ascending grade, the two grades are joined by a say eeemnennn ig curve (Fig.8.5b). fa eer N Ty iN Te * N ST2 e y Tae z mit curve (b) Sag curve te Fig. 8.5 Vertical curves ik ie 8.3 NOFATIONS FOR A CIRCULAR CURVE a Referring to Fig, 8.6. EP and FP are two straights, known as tangents, meeting at P. A 4 ular curve TiMT> of radius R is used to conncet the two straights and is tangential to the hI Straights EP and FP at the points T, and Tz, The following notations are used for the cireular i curve |. Point of curve or point of commencement: The point T; where the curve 4 Griginates oF the alignment changes from the struight to the eurve is known as the point of 4 curve or the po‘nt of commencement 2. Point of tangency: ‘The point ‘T> where the curve ends oF th from the curve to the straight is known as the point of tangeney, | 3. Tangent points: T, and Ty are called the tan; gent points, because the straights EP and FP are the tangents to the circular curve at these points, 903. alignment changes+ Back tangent: The tangent T;? at T, is the back tangent or the first tangent eB Fig. 8.6 Definition sketch fora simple circular curve 5. Forward tangent: The tangent PT» at Ty is the forward tangent or the second tangent. 6. Point of intersection or the apex: The ‘angents meet is called the point of intersection, 7. Angle of intersection: The angle between the ta angle of intersection and is denoted by 0 5. Angle of deflection: The angle by which the forward 'Scalled the angle of deflection. In Fig. 8.6, ZP,PF is the an _ By geometry, 2T\OT? subtended at the contre by the tan; $+8= 130° Point P at which the two straights or nigents, ie, ZEPF, is called the or the second tangent deflects ile of deflection. It is denoted by gent points, is also equal to and section and the point of tangency (PT; or PT? in Fig. 8.6) 10. Length of curve: ‘The total length of the curve from the point of curve to the point of tangency is the length of curve (TMT? in Fig. 8.6). {hz Long chord: The chord joining the point of curve and the point of tangency is called the long chord (T;NT3in Fig, 8.6). 12, Normal chord or majo! Or pegs is called a normal chord, {2 Subchord or minor chord: Subchord is any chord shorter than the normal chord, 14. Summit: The mid-point of the curve ig calle, ‘d the summit of the curve (point M in Fig, 8.6). F chord: A chord between two successive regular stations '5.Versed sine or mid-ordinate: The ordinate (perpendicular distance) from the ordinate AE 10 the mid-point of the long chord 's ealled the versed sine or mid- ordinate (MN if Fig, 8.6) 16; hex distance: The distance between the point of intersection the cury/1s called the apex distance (PM in Fig. 8.6) and the summit of z 8.4 PEGREE OF CURVE I» Deuree of a curve may be defined cither with respect toa fixed len igth of an are of the Curve (are definition) or with respect to a fixed length of a chord (chord definition), une erases The degree of curvature of a cir (100 fy are atthe center, This definition is gener 94 cular curve is the angle subtended by a 30 m ally adopted for railway curves, |tadius ofa circular curve. Since D?: 360"= 30 m: 2a m 36030 8.9 R= m= 89 5, 2nD D when D is in degree. Thus, the radius of 1° curve is 1718.9 m, of 2° curve is 859.4 m, of 3° curys is 573.0 m and so on. xr 4d definition: The degree of curvature of a circular curve is the angle subtended by a 30 V/1100 ft) chord at the cr’ +. This definition is generally adopted for highway or road Clirves. Let PQ be a cord of length 30 m, D° is the a center, Then, from AOPM we get nD PM _15 (= 2) hey 15 A R= on Ee in DID v When D is small and expressed in radians, then sin D/2 may be replaced by D/2 and we obtain Q 15 _15x360 _ 5400 718.9 ly eS 8 Dia Si aD) t a ae eaO) 180 Aes For smaller values of D, Eqs. (8.1) and (8.3) are the same. However, for accurate results, Eq. (8.2) must be used. ingle subtended by the chord PQ at the si eR 8.5 ELEMENTS OF A CIRCULAR CURVE ‘The various elements ofa simple cireular curve ean be calculated as follows (Fig, 8.5): 1. Tangent length or tangent distance = PT, = PT; = OT; tan $/2 tan g/2 (8.4) 2. Length of long chord, L = TiN OT, sin 6/2 = 2R sin H/2 (85) 3. Length of circular curve, =H and D in degree) (8.6) 4: Apex distance = PM = PO ~ OM = OT, sce 6/2—OM = R see $/2—R= R(1—sec 4/2) (8.7) 27 5. Versed sine, V, = NM = OM ~ON=R - OT, cos 6/2 = R—R cos /2 = Ril —cos 472) (8.8) Another expression for “he versed sine is obtained as follows (Fig. 8.6): 4G T= ON* 4".N? = (OM - NM)? +T\N? or, R- Nii) +(/2)? SNM = R~yR=(L 12 (8.9) 95 “~Q Let D be the degree of curvature and R is the scniaceaeeiaieeeenimea6. Chainage at Ty = Chainage at P- PT, 7.Chainage Thainage at T + length of curve (/) Section being 120°. Ifthe radius of a simple circular curve introduced is 600 m, find (1) the tangent distance, (ii) the length of the curve, the long chord, (v) the apex distance, and (vi) chain is 30 m, (ili) the chainages at the tangent points, (iv) the versed sine, Assume that the length of the Solution $= 180°-0 = 180" 120°= 60? 92 =308 (® Tangent distance = PT) = PT2 = R tan 9/2 = 600xtan 30° = 346.41 m a ARG _ 7x 600%60 2 fi) Length of curve = = — 7*600%60 _ 64 5 i) ave = a m (GD Chainage at the point of intersection-= (250 + 15) =250 chains 15 links = (250%30 + 15 0.2) m= 7503.00 m Chainage at T; = (7503.00 ~ 346.41) m= 7156.59 m kainage at T2 = (7156.59 + 628,32) m= 7784.91 m (i) Length of long chord, L = 2R sin @f2 = 2x600xsin 30° = 600.00 m (¥) Apex distance = (see O/2 — 1) = 600(sec 30° 1) = 92.82 m (vi) Versed sine, V, = R(1 — cos 6/2) = 600(1-cos 30° = 80.38 m 8.6 METHODS OF RANGING A CIRCULAR CURVE The following data are usually needed for ranging a simple circular curve J. Chainage at the point of intersection P 2. Angle of intersection € or the angle of deflection 3. Radius of the curve R or degree of curve D. Based upon the instruments used, there are two types of methods for ranging a simple circular curve on the ground: |. Linear methods: In these methods, only linear measurements are involved and’ a ‘ape and a chain are used. These methods are used when (a) a high degree of accuracy is not Fequired, and (b) the radius of the curve R is small, The different linear methods are (i) Ordinates from long chord (ii) Offets from tangents - Perpendicular offsets - Radial offsets (iii) Offsets from chords 2. Angular methods: In these methods, an instrument for angular measurement such as a theodolite is used with or without a chain and/or a tape. These methods are more accurate than the linear methods. The two angular methods are (i) One theodolite method (ii Two theadolites method 96 “wo straight alignments of a road intersect at a chainage (250 + 15), the angle of