M

V
R

=
=
=
=

Mass of vehicle
Speed of vehicle
Radius of Road Curve
Coefficient of friction ( adhesion)
between wheels and road
(usually = 0.25)
See Fig. 14.1 for forces acting on a vehicle
moving at a speed of V on a circular curve
of radius R.
Sideslip will occur if
i.e. when

MV 2
Mg
R

V2
R
g

Minimum curvature

V2
g

Fig. 14.1 Forces acting on a vehicle at a curve on level

ground

tan =

0.4V 2
V2
gR
tan
gR

No Friction, [
Fig. 14.2 Forces acting on a vehicle at a curve on sloping ground

Fig. 14.3 Change of radial acceleration when entering a circular curve from a straight
section.

Circular curve
Tr
an

n
io
sit
n
a
Tr L

ec
ti
tia
ls

Fin

In
i

r=

on

sit
io
n

al
t
sec

ion

r=

Fig. 14.4 Formation of transition curves between straight and circular sections

The initial requirement in the design of a transition curve is to find length L of the transition curve. L
may be taken
a) As an arbitrary value(say 50 m)
b) Such that the cant is applied at a constant rate (say 0.1 m in 100m)
c) Such that the rate of change of radial acceleration equals a chosen value
(say 0.3 m/sec3)
When the rate of change of radial acceleration is the design criterion,
Given
L = Total length of transition curve
R = Radius of circular curve
V = Uniform velocity of vehicle
The radial acceleration before entering the transition curve is zero. The radial acceleration on the
circular curve

V2
.
R

The time taken to travel along the transition curve

L
V

V2
0)
V3
R
a

L
LR
V
(

The rate of change of radial acceleration ( a ) is

LV

a R

= Deflection Angle

S = Shift =
S

Transition
B
T

T1

T2

R+
S

S
1

Fig. 14.5 Setting out of transition curves

L2
24R

It can be shown that

1
3

L2
24 R
L
BT
2

2
L
IT R S tan
2 2

IB R S tan

u
rc
Ci

lar

h
=S

ift

r
cula
Cir

T1
y

R1

1 O

P
Q1

Fig. 14.6 Shape function for a transition curve

TX = ,

TT1 = L.
and r = R

At T, = 0 and r =

At T1, = L

Note that the centrifugal force F at any point on the transition curve is proportional to the
distance of that point from the starting point of the curve.
F

MV 2
r

between T and T1

1
r

or r k a constant

r
RL
1

XY =
r = =
=

r
RL
2
By integration, =
+C
2RL
2
at = 0 , = 0. C = 0
hence
2RL

At T1, k = RL. Also k = r

Cubic Spiral
If we assume to be small (Note: in ordinary transition is very small)
y y
2

x
2RL
2
y .
2RL
y

or

3
6RL

Relationship between and

2
)
y

2
14

(1

)
It can be shown tan
2
x
3
35
6K(1 )
10
2 (1

For small ,
Since =

2
,
2RL

2
6RL

Now deflection of points at distances from the tangent point T can be calculated.
Cubic Parabola
If we assume is small and also x
5

Thus,

3
6RL

x3
6RL

x3
. This is an equation for a Cubic Parabola.
6RL

Now it is possible to compute offset distances(y) off the tangent for distances(x) along
the tangent.
Transition Curve Setting-out Data

2
2RL

Shift S

at T1:

=
=
=

BP
BM-PM
NT1-(PO-MO)

L3
-(R-Rcos1)
6RL

L2
L

2RL 2R

L3
=
{R R(1 1 1 ....)}
6RL
2!
4!
2
Ignoring higher powers than 1
2
R 1
L3
S =

6RL
2
=

L3
R L2 2
(
)
6RL 2 2RL
L2
L2

6R 8R
L2
S
24R

BM = NT1 (maximum offset)

Now Q1T1

PT1

= R.1 = R.

L2
L

2RL 2

Q1 is the mid point of the transition curve.

Since the deviation of Q1 from the tangent is small, TQ1 TB =

L
2

From theory of simple circular curves

IB = (R+S) tan

TI = IB + TB

TI = (R+S) tan

L
+
2
2

Now you can set-out

Cubic Spiral
with Theodolite(), Chain() and Tape(y)
Cubic Parabola with Chain(x) and Tape(y)
Either calculate

3
6RL

or

x3
6RL

or

2
6RL

Example 1: Calculate the setting out data for a 75.0 m transition curve to connect an 8
circular curve joining two straights with an angle of deflection 20 using 15 m chords.
a) To calculate R and S
100
100
= 716.20 m
8(
)
180
L2
75 2
S=
=
= 0.327 m
24R 24 716.2
R

b) To calculate Tangent length

TL = (R+S) tan

20 L
+
2
2

= 163.843 m
c) To calculate and tabulate the deflection angles and deflection offsets
2
(
)
2
S =
2RL
(rad)
3
3
6RL
2 180
572.96 2
.
60min
min
6RL
RL
3
and y
6RL

R = 716.2 m,

L = 75 m,

= 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 m

/m

2 /m2

15
30

225
900

45

2025

60

3600

75

5625

572.962
RL

224
936
213
6
382
4
600
0

3
/m
6RL

0.010
0.084
0.283
0.670
1.309

Fig. 14.9 Same Hand

Fig. 14.10 Opposite Hand

y

O1
O2

P3

R2
R1

S3

R 1 > R2

P2

S2

(l = L2 - L1)

P1
S1
C1

C1
C2

Fig. 14.11
2
L
L
S1 1
, C1 1
2
24R 1

C2

S2

L2
24R 2

, C2

L2
2

x = C2 C1 and
y = R1 + S1- (R2 + S2)
O1Q = O1O2 + O2P + PQ
R1 = (x2 + y2)1/2 + R2 + S3
S3 = [(C2 C1)2 + {R1 + S1- (R2 + S2)}2]1/2 (R2 R1)

T2

O1

L2
1

O2
2

P4

R2

P3

P
R1

t 2 +L

/2

P2
P1

T1

L1

t1
t1+L1/2

Fig. 14.12

a = rate of change of radial acceleration

L

V3
aR

V3
a const along all parts of curve.
a

RL is a constant for all three transitions.

10

( -m)

P3
P

P2

m3
6RL

( - m) 3
6RL

Fig. 14.13
S3 a b S3

(3 32 m 3m 2 ) dS 3 (32 6m)
,

6RL
dm
6RL

S3 is minimum along PQ (on O1O2 produced)

m
at PQ when a + b = S3, (3 6m) 0
2
6RL
The transition is bisected by the clearance S3
2

a b

S3
3

2 48RL

S3

3
24RL

11

Tangent lengths
From compound curve equations,
t1Sin = (R2 R1)(1-Cos2) + R1(1-Cos),
t2Sin = (R1 R2)(1-Cos1) + R2(1-Cos)
Replace R1 with (R1 + S1) and R2 with (R2+S2) and
apply in transitions. We have,
t1Sin = (R2+S2) - (R1+S1) Cos + (R1R2S3) Cos2
t2Sin = (R1+S1) - (R2 + S2) Cos - (R1R2S3) Cos1
L
L
T1I = t1 + 2 , T2I = t2 + 2
1

Throughchainages
L
ArcP1P2=R1(1)rad- 2

2
L2

2 2
1

Arc

P3P4 = R2 (2)rad Total curve length = T1P1 + P1P2 + P2P3+ P3P4+ P4T2
L

= L1 + [R1 (1)rad - 2 2 ]+
1

+ [R2 (2)rad =

L2

2 2

L1 L 2

R1 1 rad R2 2 rad
2
2

12

]+ L2

Example 3: 75 0000 30 0000

R1 = 300.00 m, R2 = 250.00 m, V = 80 km/h,
a = 0.3 m/s3
Chainage I = 872.700 m
(Transition curves with same hand)
o

1 2 75o 30 o 45o 0000

80 103 3
)
V3
60

60
L2

146.319 m
aR
0.3 250
(

RL = 146.319 x 250 =36579.79 m2

2

L
121.933
36579.79
L1
121.933 m S1 1
2.065 m
300
24R 1 24 300

S2

L2
146.319 2

3.568 m
24R 2 24 250

= L2- L1 = 146.319 121.933 = 24.386 m

24.386 3
24.386 3

0.017 m
24RL
24 36579.79

(Shift)
Now calculate offsets to the curve from tangents
x
using y 6RL
for transition and from usual offsets or
deflection angles for circular sections.
S3

13

Curves of Opposite Hand

T1
O1
x

R1
1

P2

I1
1

P1

S1

S3 = (a+b)

b Q

S2

P3

I2
2

P4
R2

O2

T2
Fig. 13.14

P2Q = m ,

QP3 = -m,

m3
,
6RL

dS3
(3 32 m 3m 2 )
At Q,
32 6m 0
dm
6RL
3
S

3
S3
ab 3
24RL
2 48RL

S3 a b

14

( - m) 3
6RL
m

Through chainage
T1T2 = T1P1 + P1P2 + P2P3+ P3P4+ P4T2
= L1 + R11 + + R22 + L2

= L
1

L1

=2

R1 1

L1
L

R2 2 2
2 2
2 2

L2
R1 1 R2 2
2

Tangent length
1

L1

L2

T1I1 = (R1 + S1)tan 2 2 = I1Q

T2I2 = (R2 + S2)tan 2 2 = I2Q
Note :
S3 = (x2 + y2)1/2 (R1 + R2)
L
L
But, x = C1 + C2 ,
C1 = 2 and C2 = 2
y = (R1 + S1) + (R2+ S2)
1

S 3 C1 C 2 R1 S1 R2 S 2
2

R1 R2

15