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12/16/2019 Spiral Curve | Surveying and Transportation Engineering Review

Spiral Curve

Spirals are used to overcome the abrupt change in curvature and superelevation that occurs between tangent and circular curve. The spiral
curve is used to gradually change the curvature and superelevation of the road, thus called transition curve.

Elements of Spiral Curve


TS = Tangent to spiral
SC = Spiral to curve
CS = Curve to spiral
ST = Spiral to tangent
LT = Long tangent
ST = Short tangent
R = Radius of simple curve
Ts = Spiral tangent distance
Tc = Circular curve tangent
L = Length of spiral from TS to any point along the spiral
Ls = Length of spiral
PI = Point of intersection
I = Angle of intersection
Ic = Angle of intersection of the simple curve
p = Length of throw or the distance from tangent that the circular curve has been offset
X = Offset distance (right angle distance) from tangent to any point on the spiral
Xc = Offset distance (right angle distance) from tangent to SC
Y = Distance along tangent to any point on the spiral
Yc = Distance along tangent from TS to point at right angle to SC
Es = External distance of the simple curve
θ = Spiral angle from tangent to any point on the spiral
θs = Spiral angle from tangent to SC
i = Deflection angle from TS to any point on the spiral, it is proportional to the square of its distance
is = Deflection angle from TS to SC
D = Degree of spiral curve at any point
Dc = Degree of simple curve

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12/16/2019 Spiral Curve | Surveying and Transportation Engineering Review

Formulas for Spiral Curves


Distance along tangent to any point on the spiral:
L5
Y =L− Y=L−L540R2Ls2
40R 2 L s 2

At L = Ls, Y = Yc, thus,


L s3
Yc = L s − Yc=Ls−Ls340R2
40R 2

Offset distance from tangent to any point on the spiral:


L3
X= X=L36RLs
6RL s

At L = Ls, X = Xc, thus,


L s2
Xc= Xc=Ls26R
6R

Length of throw:
1 L s2
p= X
4 c
= p=14Xc=Ls224R
24R

Spiral angle from tangent to any point on the spiral (in radian):
L2
θ= θ=L22RLs
2RL s

At L = Ls, θ = θs, thus,


Ls
θs = θs=Ls2R
2R

Deflection angle from TS to any point on the spiral:


L2
i = 13 θ = i=13θ=L26RLs
6RL s

At L = Ls, i = is, thus,


Ls
i = 13 θs = i=13θs=Ls6R
6R

This angle is proportional to the square of its distance


i L2
= iis=L2Ls2
is L s2

Tangent distance:
Ls I
Ts = + (R + P ) tan Ts=Ls2+(R+P)tanI2
2 2

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12/16/2019 Spiral Curve | Surveying and Transportation Engineering Review

Angle of intersection of simple curve:


I c = I − 2θs Ic=I−2θs

External distance:
R+P
Es = − R Es=R+PcosI2−R
I
cos
2

Degree of spiral curve:


D L
=
DC Ls

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