RYAN JOSEPH QUIMO CE21S2

HORIZONTAL CURVES
1. What are the dierent types of horizontal curves? Give examples for each type.

Horizontal curves are kinds of curves that are observed with reference to the horizontal planes
only. These specic curves connect two straight tangent sections [1] . They are mainly used for
transportation routes, highways, railroads, pipelines, and other horizontally-referenced pathways.The
dierent types of horizontal curves and their respective examples are:

* CIRCULAR CURVES - these are common curves of "constant curvature", meaning representing
a segment of a circle. Mostly seen on ideal scenarios, these curves
a. Simple Curves - a kind of curve made by connecting two straight lines extending at an
angle from a common reference point. Also, the curve T1 DT2 is a smooth connection or
is a segment of one circle only.

b. Compound Curves - a kind of curve constructed from dierent circular curves of dierent
radii joined together with centres of the curves all lying on one side of the curve. The
point of curvature of the next curve is the point of tangency of the previous one [2] .

c. Tangent Curves - considered to be a sub-category of a compound curve, tangent curve

which are also called broken-back curves forms when a short tangent joins two dierent
curves [2] .

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d. Reverse Curves -kinds of curves where straights (in this case AB and AC ), nd an
intersection projected at a small angle (in this case φ). These curves are characterized
by abrupt changes of curvature direction (from being concave up to concave down at a
certain common tangent). This curve has some risks for high speed pathways as:
- They involve sudden change of super elevation or slopes;
- Steering on these highways may cause tumbling.

* TRANSITION CURVES -kinds of curves of varying radius found between a straight and a
circular curve or between two circular curves. From the name itself, these are used to allow
change over from straight to curve or from one curve to another (hence, transition). These
curves are specialized to counter centrifugal forces of a track (from the concepts of Physics)
that may cause vehicles to derail.

a. Super Elevation - a kind of method used for transitions which is characterized by the
raising of the outer edge of the road surface above the inner one, in this case the horizontal
(shown below). Using a free-body diagram to represent the acting forces, these curves
are used to cancel these forces that may cause tumbling of the vehicles at curvatures

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b. Spiral Between Tangents and Circular Curve - a kind of curve specially made to t on the
tangents and a curve whose radius is very big. The spiral inserted serves as transition to
smooth our the eects of natural forces from one tangent to another through the curve[ 1].

c. Cubic Parabola - a kind of curve used for transitions, especially on railways. With
is unique characteristics and equations, this can only be used for angles not beyond
≈ 24.09◦ .

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RYAN JOSEPH QUIMO CE21S2

d. Leminscate Curve - a kind of transition curve formalized by Bernoulli. This certain curve
is seen to be similar or symmetrical to the major and minor axes which is very much
suitable when the deection angle between the straights is large. This reasoning of angles
is eective as:
- the radius of curvature decreases more rapidly;
- the rate of increase of curvature reduces towards the end of the transition

To summarize this homework, we can see a quick breakdown of surveying curves as:

REFERENCES
1 Scott Peterson, Horizontal Curves, Retrieved from youtube.com/watch?v=vxHLFa1lj9w
September 7,2015
2 S.K. Roy, Fundamentals of Surveying, Circa 1999